Bremen Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) has rejected a demand by the CSU party for an “extremism clause” within the equalization of state finances. Speaking to the regional media network, Bovenschulte dismissed the proposal as “pure populism,” arguing that the constitutionally secured distribution of finances between states cannot be made dependent on which government is in power, calling such a measure “pure arbitrariness.”
The Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU) had echoed this demand, advocating for the possibility of withholding payments from the equalization fund to states governed by extremist parties, citing scenarios such as a potential AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt or a Linke-led government in Berlin.
However, Bovenschulte cautioned the Union against equating the Green Party (Linke) with the AfD. He asserted that putting the two groups in the same category is unacceptable, stating that the AfD is a “right-wing extremist, anti-constitutional party that seeks to abolish our liberal-democratic basic order.” In contrast, he maintained that there is absolutely no evidence or foundation in intelligence reports, either federal or state, to classify the Linke in a similar manner. He described such an equivalence as a dereliction of historical responsibility, arguing it “pushes the firebreak further to the right toward the AfD.”
Despite his strong criticism of the Union’s proposal, Bovenschulte acknowledged that the Linke in Berlin does face a serious issue, specifically referencing accusations of antisemitism, proximity to terrorism, and organized crime. He stressed that simply documenting the problem is insufficient; the party will need to demonstrate corresponding actions in the coming weeks.
