The party leadership in Germany is calling for a task force to combat right-wing extremism and the AfD. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has classified the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist group, a decision that the party plans to appeal. The Green Party has approved a 15-point package of measures against right-wing extremism and the AfD, including the establishment of a task force to gather information about the party and its youth organization with civil society expertise.
The Green Party leadership has agreed on a 15-point plan against right-wing extremism and the AfD titled “With courage and determination against right-wing extremists and the AfD.” The plan calls for the establishment of a task force to gather information from federal and state intelligence agencies about the AfD and its youth organization, the Young Alternative. The goal is to provide security authorities with continuous information to assess a possible AfD ban. The task force would be jointly established by the federal and state governments through a decision of the Conference of Interior Ministers.
The Green Party’s resolution also emphasizes the importance of incorporating civil society expertise alongside information from intelligence agencies in evaluating the need for a potential ban on the AfD. The party calls for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to focus on combating right-wing extremism more effectively, including addressing violent acts and dismantling extremist networks. Additionally, on the European level, a joint intelligence agency is proposed to enhance espionage defense capabilities. The Green Party also proposes changes to the Federal Registration Act and Election Regulations to protect the private addresses of local politicians and volunteers from public access.
The recent debate on a potential ban of the AfD was sparked by a ruling from the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Administrative Court in Münster affirming the classification of the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist group by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. This allows intelligence agencies to continue using surveillance methods on the party. The AfD has announced plans to appeal the ruling to the Federal Administrative Court. The Green Party’s measures aim to combat right-wing extremism and the AfD by gathering information and expertise to assess the possibility of a ban and enhancing efforts to address extremist violence and protect the privacy of political activists.
