Cem Özdemir, the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg and a member of the Green Party, told Spiegel that he views democracy in Germany as being more endangered than ever before. He also advocated for the potential banning of the AfD party.
Özdemir stated that it is necessary to thoroughly re-examine Article 21 of the Basic Law. He argued that the provision for party prohibition was not merely a historical clause created by the founders of the Basic Law. Rather, it represents a mandate: we must closely examine the territories where the AfD is promoting ethno-nationalist ideas, particularly in states like Thuringia and Brandenburg. In these areas, the regional chapters, he noted, have deviated significantly from the core principles of the constitution and are closely linked to the Identity Movement.
The Green politician had previously announced during the regional election campaign that he intended to campaign in areas where the AfD is strong, in order to talk directly with the people there. While he remains committed to this approach, he expressed skepticism about his own persuasive power. He admitted that there is certainly a fixed segment of AfD sympathizers he will not be able to reach. However, he added that there are also people who should not belong to the party. His goal is not to alienate more voters towards the extreme right; instead, he wants to show people that their concerns are being taken seriously. He felt that perhaps, as someone with a migration background who has dedicated his life to fighting racism, he could express some of these messages more effectively.
For Özdemir, the threat posed by the AfD is immense. He noted that the strengthening of such forces can be seen across numerous countries within the European Union and globally. However, he emphasized that Germany is the country of the Shoah and the nation that was granted reunification after its neighbors gave their consent, conditioned on Germany remaining a reliable, cosmopolitan, and European partner. He concluded that if the AfD were to gain power, it would imply that Germany had misled its neighbors and the rest of the world.
