Calls are growing for a nationwide review of public service employment practices following a decision by the Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister, Michael Ebling, to restrict the access of members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to public sector roles. Several politicians from both the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) have lauded Ebling’s actions as a potential model for other states and the federal government.
The impetus for this intensified scrutiny stems from assessments by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz), which has classified the AfD party at the federal level as right-wing extremist and directed against the basic democratic order. Politicians argue that such assessments necessitate adjustments to the employment of civil servants and public sector employees.
Roderich Kiesewetter, CDU security policy expert, emphasized the core responsibility of public servants, stating they “should protect our society and not contribute to the undermining of our democracy”. He advocates for adapting public service law and sharpening hiring practices across all states and at the federal level, particularly in sensitive areas like education, the judiciary and security services. Kiesewetter specifically cautioned against the presence of AfD members in these areas, warning that “it cannot be the case that state teachers impart extremist positions to children and young people”. He added that dismissals from public service should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
SPD interior policy expert Sebastian Fiedler echoed this sentiment, asserting that the AfD is attempting to “attack state authorities from within”. He described the party’s actions as a particularly serious threat to Germany’s liberal democratic constitutional order, distinguishing it from other extremist movements. Fiedler also highlighted the party’s alignment with Vladimir Putin, arguing that AfD members in public service pose a potential vulnerability for Russia to exploit within the scope of hybrid warfare. He concludes by advocating intensified consideration of how to remove active AfD members already employed in the public sector.
