German parliament plans on taking into account prohibiting top opposition party
Date
1/22/2025 7:47:58 AM
(MENAFN) The German parliament may soon begin discussions on a motion to ban the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, according to reports from Die Zeit. A cross-party group of lawmakers, including members from Die Linke, the Green Party, the SPD, and CDU, is behind the proposal, arguing that the AfD’s policies conflict with the German constitution and pose a threat to the nation’s democracy.
Founded in 2013, the AfD currently holds around 20% of the vote, positioning itself ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's SPD but behind the CDU. In 2021, Germany's domestic intelligence service labeled the AfD a "suspected" extremist group due to its hardline stance on immigration. The lawmakers behind the motion aim to gain support for initiating legal proceedings in the Federal Constitutional Court to ban the party.
Critics of the AfD argue that its rhetoric undermines human dignity, particularly toward migrants and LGBTQ individuals. Marco Wanderwitz from the CDU emphasized the party's "further radicalization" and called for immediate action.
Despite AfD leader Alice Weidel's rising popularity—leading the race for chancellor according to polls—mainstream parties have ruled out forming any coalition with the AfD. Weidel, who opposes military aid to Ukraine and supports tougher immigration policies, has also voiced her plans to resume operations of the Nord Stream gas pipelines and reconsider Germany's NATO membership.
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