Over 1,000 German Lawyers Demand Ban on AfD Party

More than a thousand German lawyers are demanding a ban on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, urging the Federal Constitutional Court to initiate proceedings. The call, spearheaded by the Republican Lawyers Association (RAV), is detailed in an open letter sent to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and members of the Federal Parliament. Support for the letter has doubled in just ten days since its initial release by 525 lawyers in mid-July.

The signatories, including judges, prosecutors, and academics, base their demand on a comprehensive 1500-page legal report published by the Society for Freedom Rights (GFF) on June 25. This report, developed over a year, meticulously analyzed over three million pieces of data, including AfD's party platforms, parliamentary documents, press releases, and social media activity. The findings, supported by over 2,500 pieces of evidence, assert that the AfD harbors a racist ideology and systematically aims to weaken Germany's free democratic basic order.

The GFF report argues that the party's policies violate the principle of human dignity, particularly concerning individuals of immigrant backgrounds, Muslims, asylum seekers, and those outside the binary gender system. It also alleges that the AfD seeks to intimidate political opponents through the use of criminal proceedings.

The open letter's signatories contend that the GFF report refutes any claims of insufficient evidence for banning the AfD. They highlight that the report was prepared considering the criteria set by the Federal Constitutional Court in previous party ban cases. The lawyers believe the current evidence significantly strengthens the likelihood of success for a ban lawsuit against the AfD.

Urging immediate action, the lawyers implore the federal government and parliament to take the necessary political steps without delay. They warn that further postponement could inflict serious damage on German democracy and that an emboldened AfD poses a greater threat to the groups it targets. RAV President Angela Furmaniak stressed that the German Constitution provides the legal tools to combat anti-democratic parties and called on political leadership to act before it is "too late."

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The political leadership should not hide behind justifications and should act before it is too late.