AfD remains "suspected extremist" organisation
The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia has confirmed the ruling of a lower court and maintained the categorisation of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a suspected right-wing extremist organisation. This status allows the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to continue to use intelligence resources to monitor the AfD across Germany. Although the judgment is not yet legally binding it has reignited the debate on banning the party.
Ban long overdue
In tagesschau.de's view it's high time to revive the discussion about banning the party:
“The conservative, middle-class core around the euro-sceptics of yesteryear no longer plays a role in today's AfD. Now it's all about hate, radicalism and destruction. ... Hence, one would hope that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution can gather enough meaningful and relevant material to support such a process as soon as possible. Because a ban on the AfD is long overdue. This organisation has long since ceased to be an opposition party. On the contrary: it is a betrayal of the core values of our country. It is a disgrace to democracy.”
Let the voters decide!
Die Presse is relieved that far-right parties are not banned in Austria:
“Would the German Office for the Protection of the Constitution categorise the FPÖ as a suspected right-wing extremist party? How would this change things? To what extent is it acceptable for such an authority to guide public opinion using categories such as 'definitely extremist'? Unlike in Germany, Austria does not have the option of banning parties. And that's the way it should be. The fight against extremist ideas - right-wing, left-wing or religious - is better and more sustainable if it's not left to the state but is led by the people who live in it.”