The German Institute for Human Rights (DIMR) has concluded that the conditions necessary for a ban on the AfD have been met. In its latest analysis, the institute, which is legally mandated to prevent human rights violations, underlined that the party is actively and systematically pursuing its "racist and right-wing extremist goals".
One of the AfD's tactics, according to the analysis, is to manipulate public discourse and shift the boundaries of acceptable speech to normalize their racist and nationalist positions.
The DIMR asserts that the AfD is seeking to undermine the guarantees enshrined in Article 1 of the Basic Law, which upholds the inviolability of human dignity.
The analysis, titled "Why the AfD could be banned: Recommendations to the state and politics," emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about the dangers posed by the AfD and calls for a clear distancing of other political parties at the federal, state, and local levels.
The DIMR pointed a finger at that countering this danger effectively requires collective action from both society and the state.
Hendrik Cremer, the author of the analysis, clarified that the DIMR does not advocate for an application to ban the party. Instead, the institute aims to contribute to the ongoing social and legal debate by addressing the issue.
Cremer added that it is advisable for those with the authority to apply for a ban to continuously gather evidence and be prepared to take action.
As Germany's independent national human rights institution, the DIMR operates with funding from the Bundestag.
According to constitutional principles, a party can be deemed unconstitutional if its goals or the behavior of its supporters seek to undermine or eliminate the free democratic basic order or endanger the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Additionally, the party must actively exhibit a militant and aggressive attitude towards the free democratic basic order with the intention of abolishing it.
Concrete evidence is required to demonstrate that achieving the anti-constitutional goals pursued by the party is not entirely hopeless.
