Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier and Berlin's Justice Senator Felor Badenberg have voiced support for a ban procedure against the Thuringian AfD state branch. Both politicians warn of the party's threat to democracy. Badenberg said she would leave the country if the AfD came to power.
Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) and Berlin's Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (CDU) have signaled openness to a ban procedure against the Thuringian AfD state branch under Björn Höcke in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Badenberg demanded: «I speak out in favor of initiating a ban procedure against this state association». She also suggested examining the possibilities of fundamental rights forfeiture under Article 18 of the Basic Law for Höcke, which could lead to the loss of active and passive voting rights.
Maier supported this stance and warned: «If our democracy does not show its weapons, the AfD will destroy it». The Thuringian AfD branch was classified as confirmed right-wing extremist by the state constitutional protection office in 2021 and is under observation. Höcke serves as state party chairman and faction leader there; the AfD forms the strongest faction in the Erfurt state parliament.
Discussions about an AfD ban procedure have been ongoing for years. The SPD is open to it, while the Union remains skeptical. Alternatives such as stopping party financing or banning individual state associations are considered. However, Badenberg expressed skepticism toward banning the entire party: «The AfD is a danger to our democratic constitutional state. It represents anti-constitutional positions and maintains close connections to actors from the right-wing extremist scene», but that is not sufficient. Maier pointed to consequences: In the event of a full ban, parliaments would need to be re-elected, which could overturn majority relations since the AfD holds up to a third of the votes.
Additionally, Badenberg, born in 1975 in Tehran, revealed she would leave Germany if the AfD came to power: «Yes, I would probably leave Germany as well». She criticizes the AfD for distinguishing between «autochthonous Germans» and «passport Germans». The Federal Constitutional Court would be responsible for ban and fundamental rights forfeiture proceedings. Maier has advocated for years for examining an AfD ban.