A survey conducted by the organization Campact, with reporting by Spiegel, reveals that hundreds of far-right extremists in Germany possess firearms. In Saxony-Anhalt, for instance, 56 members of the AfD are registered as having a weapons possession card. This regional chapter of the AfD has been classified by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as far-right extremist. In Baden-Württemberg, 214 extremists held legal permission to own weapons; however, the source did not specify how many of these were affiliated with the AfD. Meanwhile, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 70 far-right individuals possess 398 weapons, averaging more than five per person.
Internal ministers have been discussing measures to disarm extremists for months but have failed to reach a unified approach. Review procedures are currently underway in various locations. For example, the Senate in Berlin is currently reviewing the weapons permits of 13 far-right extremists.
In response to this issue, almost 200,000 people have petitioned via WeAct, the petition platform used by Campact, demanding, “No weapons for the AfD.” Initiator Thomas Günther emphasizes the need for “red lines against armed extremists” and calls for the consistent enforcement of weapons law.
