Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs: examine AfD ban proceedings

Parties - Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs: examine AfD ban proceedings

Petra Köpping, Saxony's Minister of Social Affairs and SPD lead candidate for the state elections, is in favor of examining the possibility of banning the AfD. "We should regularly examine the chances of banning the AfD," Köpping told Der Spiegel, thereby aligning herself with SPD federal chairwoman Saskia Esken.

The NPD ban procedure had failed because the party had only achieved low election results and therefore posed no threat. "I see things differently with the AfD," argued Köpping. "The AfD is strong, it is a threat to democracy."

Esken had spoken out in favor of a regular review of an AfD ban. Her party colleague Carsten Schneider, Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Europe, warned against this. Such a procedure would have little chance of success and would increase solidarity with the AfD.

"Failure would be fatal"

Köpping also qualified that a ban procedure should not be pursued without any ifs and buts, "because failure would be fatal for the social climate". The strength of the AfD in Saxony is nothing new, said Köpping. "There were massive campaigns during the coronavirus pandemic: against vaccination, against protective measures. This fierce populism is eating away at democracy." The democratic parties must stand up to it, "including the CDU/CSU", Köpping warned.

Former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse also spoke out in favor of examining a ban procedure. "If the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in three federal states classifies the AfD as definitely right-wing extremist, then the state has a duty to consider banning the AfD," the SPD politician told the Tagesspiegel newspaper. However, "one must consider very soberly: there are high hurdles for a party ban in Germany, a ban procedure takes a long time, probably many years, and the AfD would exploit this considerably for propaganda purposes, stylizing itself as a victim".

In all polls for the Bundestag elections, the AfD is in second place behind the CDU/CSU with more than 20 percent, well ahead of the governing parties SPD, Greens and FDP. In Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg, where new state parliaments will be elected in September, polls show the AfD in the lead, in some cases by a considerable margin. In Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, the party is classified as "definitely right-wing extremist" by the state offices for the protection of the constitution.

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1. In Saxony, Petra Köpping, the Minister of Social Affairs and SPD's lead candidate for the state elections, supports the examination of the possibility of banning the AfD, aligning with Saskia Esken's views.
2. Köpping argues that while the NPD ban procedure failed due to low election results, the AfD poses a significant threat to democracy due to its strength and influence.
3. Saskia Esken, the SPD federal chairwoman, advocates for regular reviews of an AfD ban, but Carsten Schneider, the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Europe, cautions against this, citing potential solidarity with the AfD and low chances of success.
4. Wolfgang Thierse, a former Bundestag President and SPD politician, also supports the examination of a ban procedure, but warns of the high hurdles and long time frames involved, as well as the potential for AfD propaganda.
5. In polls for the Bundestag elections, the AfD is consistently second place behind the CDU/CSU, with more than 20% support, while in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg, where state elections will be held in September, the AfD leads in some cases by a substantial margin.
6. In these three states, the AfD is classified as "definitely right-wing extremist" by state offices for the protection of the constitution.
7. The democratic parties, including the CDU/CSU, must stand up against the AfD's fierce populism that is "eating away at democracy," as warned by Köpping.

Source: www.stern.de