Hesse state parliament strengthens security checks against extremism!

Hesse state parliament strengthens security checks against extremism!

In the last few weeks, an important topic has prevailed in the German parliaments: protection against enemies of the constitution. The focus is particularly on the Hessian state parliament, which is planning to tighten security measures. Next Tuesday, the President of the State Parliament, Astrid Wallmann (CDU), will present an initiative that aims to strengthen the protection of Parliament stern.de reports.

But Hesse is not alone: ​​the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament has also already decided on measures to check employees' loyalty to the constitution. In July there was a resolution that caused parliamentary group employees to be checked for their loyalty to the constitution. This review is intended to ensure that no government money flows into the hands of extremists. The AfD also rejected the proposal and received criticism for it.

Background of security checks

The discussion about security checks in parliaments should be seen in the context of a current report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The publication of the third situation report “Right-wing extremists in security authorities” alarmingly states that there are 739 investigated cases of suspected suspicion at the federal and state levels. These include 364 employees who have concrete evidence of violations of the free democratic basic order, such as verfassungsschutz.de reports.

This report from July 2024 is divided into various subject areas such as “Reich citizens” and “self-administrators” and also highlights the consolidation of new disciplinary procedures in the federal sector that have been introduced since April 1, 2024. The aim of these adjustments is to carry out disciplinary proceedings against extremists more quickly and thus react more efficiently.

Monitoring mechanisms of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution itself is subject to strict control by various institutions and mechanisms. These range from administrative control by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) to parliamentary control. Citizens also have opportunities to have an influence. This allows them to submit petitions and make their inquiries about the activities of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution public. federalgovernment.de highlights how these control mechanisms promote the transparency and accountability of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Overall, it can be said that the initiatives in the German state parliaments show that the issue of extremism and the protection of the constitution have top priority. The developments of the last few months challenge all relevant actors to actively deal with the risks and create preventive measures. A good step towards a secure future for the democratic institutions in Germany.