Following the attack on SPD MEP Matthias Ecke in Dresden, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) has proposed a special meeting of the ministers of the interior from the federal government and the states. According to reports, Faeser discussed this with the chairman of the conference of interior ministers, Michael Stübgen (CDU), suggesting a meeting in the coming week. Faeser emphasized the need to enhance protection for democratic forces in the country and to take decisive action against enemies of democracy. The attack on Ecke was described as a new dimension of anti-democratic violence that must be stopped.
The attack on Matthias Ecke during a poster campaign in Dresden has caused alarm among political figures, prompting strong condemnations from various parties. The SPD Saxony leadership decried the violence as an assault on democratic processes and called for a clear and unequivocal denouncement of such incidents. They blamed the AfD and other right-wing extremists for inciting violence against democratic supporters. Reports also indicate that a Green Party poster team was also attacked, following previous incidents of aggression against Green Party members in Chemnitz and Zwickau.
The police in Dresden confirmed the attack on Ecke and urged witnesses to come forward. The State Security investigators believe the same perpetrators are behind both attacks on political figures. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attacks and stressed the importance of standing together against right-wing extremism. He emphasized that such violence is a direct threat to democracy and called for a thorough investigation into the incidents.
Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster also condemned the attacks, labeling them as unacceptable and a danger to the core values of democracy. The protection of elected officials and election volunteers was emphasized as a top priority. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed shock and dismay at the violent attacks on politicians from the SPD and Greens, calling for unity across party lines to combat such aggression and protect the democratic process.
Thuringia’s Minister President Bodo Ramelow attributed the attacks to hatred and misinformation, highlighting the broader implications for society. Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey and Brandenburg’s SPD faction leader Daniel Keller also expressed horror at the attacks, denouncing the targeting of democratic representatives and calling for a stand against hate and incitement. The incidents underscore a worrying trend of politically motivated violence in the lead-up to the elections, with over 112 such crimes reported in Saxony this year alone. The need to safeguard democratic values and prevent the normalization of extremist behavior was stressed by various political leaders.
