THE OTHER VIEW - The Union Proposes to Deprive Björn Höcke of Voting Rights. It Is an Act of Desperation

The German Union party (CDU/CSU) appears to be shifting its strategy in confronting right-wing populism, moving away from content-based arguments towards potentially authoritarian measures. This change is exemplified by proposals to ban the Thuringian branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), led by Björn Höcke, and even to strip Höcke himself of his active and passive voting rights, a measure provided for in the German constitution. This marks a significant departure from the Union's previous approach of engaging with the AfD on policy and political grounds.

These proposals, particularly the suggestion to remove voting rights, have been met with surprise due to their casual presentation. Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of the Union faction, reportedly mused, "How about we just start a procedure and see if we can take away the active and passive voting rights of someone extremely right-wing like him?" This approach, discussing fundamental rights restrictions in a conversational tone, is seen by some as a "colorful test balloon."

Concerns about Björn Höcke are not unfounded. He has been convicted twice and fined for using the Nazi-era slogan "Alles für Deutschland" (Everything for Germany). Furthermore, in a 2018 book, he advocated for "well-tempered cruelty" in dealing with immigrants from Africa and Asia to facilitate their expulsion. Despite these issues, critics argue that Germany is descending into a form of hysteria in its fight against the right. They point to calls for banning the AfD without conclusive evidence and instances where anti-fascist protests have led to violence against journalists or even storming party headquarters. The article suggests that Germany is exhibiting a pattern of condemning the right's authoritarian fantasies while simultaneously indulging in similar ones, driven by a sense of panic rather than principle.