Hesse is examining extremism checks for state parliament employees - a novelty!

Hesse is examining extremism checks for state parliament employees - a novelty!

The President of the Hesse State Parliament, Astrid Wallmann (CDU), would like to have the staff of MPs and parliamentary groups in Hesse checked for suspicion of extremism with a new proposal for changes to the law. The aim is to exclude enemies of the constitution from citizens' tax money. A three-stage review process is to be introduced for around 470 employees to ensure that no extremist attitudes are represented in the state parliament.

This review process begins with a self-report questionnaire from employees. In a second step, if there is suspicion, the state parliament office will inspect the certificates of good conduct. The final step includes queries with the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the State Criminal Police Office (LKA). If suspicions are confirmed, drastic measures could be adopted, including house bans, salary cuts and withdrawal of IT rights. Wallmann emphasizes that such measures only take serious issues into account and sees an “urgent need for action” to ensure the defense of democracy. However, there have been no confirmed suspected cases in the past.

Political resistance and support

The proposal met with mixed reactions within political groups. While the SPD and the FDP expressed concerns and fundamentally support the proposal, AfD parliamentary group leader Robert Lambrou criticizes this initiative as a “vote of no confidence” and does not see the need for such an examination. Wallmann himself notes that the proposal is not specifically directed against the AfD, but admits that this is breaking new legal ground and that personal rights are also affected.

In other federal states such as Rhineland-Palatinate, stricter screening rules already apply to employees who must pass a background check; In North Rhine-Westphalia, unrestricted information from the Federal Central Register is required. This move by Wallmann is also seen as part of a broader counter-extremism strategy, responding to the flare-up of extremist behavior in society.

Social developments and challenges

There is currently a worrying trend: the federal government is recording an all-time high in political crime and an increase in violent attacks on political actors and emergency services. The strategy “Together for democracy and against extremism” was launched to combat extremism, racism and other forms of group-related hostility more effectively. It is important that the state takes both preventive and repressive measures to maintain social cohesion.

The strategy has five main objectives, including strengthening democratic values ​​and early detection of radicalization. In a digital world, dealing with hate and disinformation is also given top priority. These efforts can help promote a diverse and democratic society and proactively counter the threat posed by extremism.

Astrid Wallmann's intention to put a stop to extremism is directly linked to these challenges. She wants to ensure that the state parliament and the employees who support it are loyal to the constitution and thus maintain the trust of citizens in democratic institutions.

It remains to be seen how the political landscape in Hesse and nationwide will develop. However, one thing is clear: the topic of extremism and how to deal with it will continue to be highly topical not only in the state parliament, but in society as a whole.

For more information on this topic, please visit the articles from hessenschau.de, n-tv.de and federalgovernment.de.