Söder remains skeptical about the AfD ban

It is a party that wants to undermine democracy using democratic means. Experts are therefore discussing: Ban the AfD – yes or no? CSU boss Söder is against it.

Munich – If there were elections in Germany next Sunday, that would come AfD to 24 percent of the votes. This was the result of a YouGov survey published on Thursday (January 11). The right-wing populist party's poll numbers have been over 20 percent for months. Given these numbers, experts are debating the pros and cons of banning the AfD. But even after the recently revealed secret meeting between right-wing circles and AfD officials, the Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU leader Markus Söder continued to speak out against such a ban.

CSU leader Markus Söder speaks out against the AfD ban

CSU boss Söder vehemently rejects cooperation with the AfD. But a ban goes too far for him. “I believe that the ban simply has extreme constitutional hurdles. And seeking such a ban leads to almost certain failure,” said the Bavarian Prime Minister in a statement on Thursday Deutschlandfunk published excerpt from a radio interview. This would give the AfD carte blanche and strengthen it to such an extent that it would “probably be almost impossible to stop in democratic elections.” Söder had already made similar statements in the past.

The German population is divided on the issue: 42 percent would support the initiation of a ban on the AfD, while 42 percent are also against it. This was the result of a survey published on Thursday by the opinion research institute Ipsos. There are clear differences from east to west: While in eastern Germany 32 percent of those surveyed were in favor of a ban and 51 percent were against it, in the west 40 percent of those surveyed were against it and 45 percent were in favor.

Secret meeting between right-wing extremists and AfD officials: That's what it was about

The debate about a ban on the AfD was given new fuel by a secret meeting that representatives of right-wing populists are said to have held with right-wing radicals. The meeting between AfD officials, financially strong entrepreneurs and right-wing extremists took place in November. This was the result of research published by the media company on Wednesday Corrective. At the meeting in Potsdam, the leader of the right-wing extremist Identitarian movement, the Austrian Martin Sellner, presented concept ideas for “remigration” – i.e. the return of immigrants, as he confirmed to the German Press Agency. It was also about the expulsion of Germans with foreign roots, millions of people in total.

Berlin takes the revelation of the secret meeting very seriously. “We will not allow anyone to distinguish the 'we' in our country based on whether someone has an immigration history or not,” wrote Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Thursday on the platform X (formerly Twitter). Anyone who goes against the free, democratic basic order is a case for “our constitutional protection and the judiciary,” continued Scholz. “We protect everyone – regardless of origin, skin color or how uncomfortable someone is for fanatics with assimilation fantasies.” Experts see the events as further radicalization of the AfD compared to its party program for the most recent federal election.

Söder condemns the AfD's deportation plans: “Reminds me of the darkest as a preliminary stage”

CSU boss Söder condemned the “deportation plans of the worst kind” in the strongest possible terms: “As a preliminary stage, this really reminds us of the darkest thing you can even imagine and the most disgusting thing.” According to Söder, the AfD must be fought politically, and that is clearly part of it to state that their goal is nothing other than a kind of takeover of power by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Germany. “And we have to explain what that means in a much deeper, harder and clearer way.” In addition to naming the problems, sensible concepts and solutions are also needed, especially in the area of ​​migration. It would
be feasible to significantly reduce the AfD, he said. “By the way, also before these state elections, when there are better policies in Germany.”

Head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of a danger to democracy

Meanwhile, the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, warns of a danger to democracy. The Germans are not taking the threat seriously enough, said Haldenwang in an interview with ARD-Political magazine “Contrasts”. People have settled into a comfortable private life and “don’t realize enough how serious the threats to our democracy have become.” We need to wake up “and finally take a clear position against extremism in Germany.”

Anti-Semitism in Germany has increased significantly since the Hamas terrorist attacks. While 2,600 anti-Semitic crimes were registered throughout 2022, there have been 1,200 such incidents since October 7th alone. “It is a disgrace, it is shameful how openly anti-Semitism is now shown in the country from which the Holocaust began,” continued the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. “The fact that we learn from history is not just lip service,” promised Chancellor Scholz on Platform X. (bme)