The SPD and the Greens are considering cutting off money from the AfD.
The procedure for exclusion from party financing anchored in the Basic Law is "an important element for the defensive state to significantly reduce state funding for anti-constitutional parties," said the parliamentary managing director of the SPD parliamentary group, Johannes Fechner, to the "Handelsblatt".
Fechner referred to a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court expected on Tuesday on the question of whether the right-wing extremist NPD can continue to benefit from state party financing.
“We will then know more about the specific hurdles of such a procedure,” said the SPD politician.
“This can also affect other parties,” he added, referring to the AfD.
The legislature created the possibility of a funding freeze for parties after the second NPD ban proceedings before the Federal Constitutional Court failed in 2017.
In 2019, the Bundestag, Bundesrat and federal government jointly submitted a proposal to exclude the right-wing extremist NPD from state funding.
According to the “Handelsblatt”, the Greens also see cutting state money as a possible option, but point out that this measure is also “very prerequisites”.
“Just as with a party ban, the constitutional bodies are required to carefully weigh up legal steps, taking into account the assessment of the security authorities,” said Green Party parliamentary group leader Irene Mihalic.
Söder cautious with AfD ban
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had already discussed an end to state party funding for the AfD.
With a view to the Federal Constitutional Court's expected decision on the NPD, the CSU leader told the "Handelsblatt": "That would also be a blueprint for the AfD."
Reluctant to call for a ban on the AfD.
This would be “lengthy and involve considerable risks,” Söder pointed out.
In this matter, however, Söder also made it clear that he considers the AfD to be right-wing extremist and anti-constitutional.
"The AfD is nothing other than a right-wing extremist Putin party," said the CSU leader, adding: "I consider the AfD to be unconstitutional."
Hundreds of thousands of people across Germany have taken to the streets in recent days to demonstrate against misanthropy and right-wing extremism.
The protests were triggered by the revelations by the Correctiv research center about a meeting of right-wing extremists on November 25th, in which AfD politicians as well as individual members of the CDU and the very conservative “Values Union” took part in Potsdam.
According to the report, ideas for expelling millions of people from Germany were also discussed.
Söder called the plans a “classic Nazi model.”
It served the goal of "wanting to provoke strife and civil war-like conditions in order to then recommend itself as an orderly, protective force," said Söder.
fek/AFP/Reuters