Greens want to initiate new attempt to ban AfD

Berlin – The Greens in the Bundestag want to initiate a new attempt to ban the AfD – this time with the participation of the states. "The AfD is an extremely dangerous party that openly disregards the fundamental principles of our free democracy," said deputy parliamentary group leader Konstantin von Notz and First Parliamentary Secretary Irene Mihalic to the newspapers of the Funke Media Group (Tuesday editions). "Therefore, we call on the federal and state governments to create the conditions for banning proceedings against the AfD now." Banning proceedings rightly have high constitutional requirements and must therefore be approached with the necessary legal diligence, said the parliamentary group's two interior experts. Therefore, a foundation should first be created. "As a first step, a federal-state working group should compile all information available at the federal and state levels," said von Notz and Mihalic. This would allow all those responsible to develop a joint approach toward a speedy ban process. "We cannot stand by and watch as a right-wing extremist party attempts to undermine democracy before our very eyes, promotes social division, and is financed by state funds," the two said in a joint statement. Green Party legal politician Till Steffen made a similar statement. The establishment of a federal-state working group should make it possible to assess the situation with all responsible parties and develop a joint approach. "The report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which classifies the party as a confirmed right-wing extremist endeavor, is an important building block for this," Steffen told the Funke newspapers.