Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called for careful consideration regarding the motion by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to initiate proceedings for the potential ban of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Speaking to the “Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung” (MAZ), part of the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Steinmeier emphasized the high threshold set by the Federal Constitutional Court, stating that any decision on filing such an application should be made with due diligence.
The head of state also urged democratic parties to intensify their efforts to rebuild public trust. “Trust can only be restored when politics responsibly manages the expectations of people” Steinmeier explained. “This does not necessarily mean that every expectation can be fulfilled. We must make a greater effort to demonstrate that democracy also means seeking and implementing compromises in a way that reflects as many interests as possible.
Article 21 of the German Basic Law stipulates that parties aiming to undermine or abolish the fundamental principles of a liberal democratic order or endanger the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany are unconstitutional.
These remarks come after former Federal Constitutional Court judge Gabriele Britz indicated that a ban application might be necessary under specific circumstances. In an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” podcast “Ist das gerecht?”, Britz stated that if there is a high degree of certainty that the conditions for a ban are met and if political efforts to address the issues have been unsuccessful, then an application should eventually be filed.
