Former Commissioner for Eastern Europe sees good chances for an AfD ban

Three state associations "definitely right-wing extremist"

He pointed out that three state associations - in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia - have now been classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. "I also assume that it is only a matter of time before the party as a whole is classified as right-wing extremist," said Wanderwitz.

Politicians must make a decision

The political parties now have a duty to lead the debate and come to a decision. In order to initiate a ban procedure in Karlsruhe, it must be requested either by the Bundestag, Bundesrat or the federal government. He was therefore pleased that the topic had recently come back into focus, said Wanderwitz.

In response to the statement by his successor in office, Carsten Schneider, that a ban procedure would only lead to greater solidarity with the AfD and that it would be better to confront the party in terms of content, Wanderwitz said: "If we were in a situation where we didn't have major international crises, where we didn't have a poorly functioning federal government, where we had relative political bliss, then I could understand that. But he stands in a burning house and says: we'll keep talking. I think that's fatal. Time is working for the AfD. In my view, this is also an attempt to avoid this social conflict."