SPD party conference: Urgent debate about the AfD ban begins today!

SPD party conference: Urgent debate about the AfD ban begins today!

The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) continued its three-day federal party conference in Berlin this Sunday and is focused on a current, explosive debate: a possible proposal to ban the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the focus. This issue is receiving particularly urgent attention because the SPD perceives the AfD as the greatest threat to democracy. Tixio reports that the application consultation on the ban procedure will therefore also be treated as a central item on the agenda.

The entire party conference time is used not only to say goodbye to the outgoing board, but also to learn the lessons from the last federal election. The motto of the meeting, “Change begins with us,” already suggests that the SPD is determined to revise its political line. The party conference is expected to end around 2 p.m. in the afternoon.

Demand for quick action

Another point that is causing a stir is the demand for a quick decision on an application to ban the AfD. Bundestag member Carmen Wegge made it clear that serious steps must be taken to review the AfD before the Federal Constitutional Court. A ban procedure could be requested from the Federal Constitutional Court through an application from the Federal Government, the Bundestag or the Bundesrat. The Daily Mirror emphasizes that the SPD would like to initiate a federal-state working group to examine the prospects of success of such a procedure and to collect the necessary material.

The controversial classification of the AfD as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution supports the calls for a ban. However, the legal process is currently suspended due to the party's pending lawsuits. The challenge is not only in compiling the necessary material, but also in the question of legal handling.

The path to a possible ban

But how does such a procedure work? A ban on a party can only be imposed by the Federal Constitutional Court, and a two-thirds majority is necessary. In the past there were only two successful party bans in the Federal Republic: the Socialist Reich Party (SRP) and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). The first application to ban the NPD was submitted in 2001 and was dropped without a decision in 2003. The Federal Agency for Civic Education also explains that there are around 110 parties in Germany, which represent a wide variety of interests, but all of which must adhere to democratic principles.

Such a ban would have significant consequences for the party concerned, including the closure of offices and the loss of seats for MPs. But critics warn of the possibility that a ban could be seen as an infringement on freedom of expression, keeping the debate hot and contentious.

The SPD and especially its leadership are aware of the explosiveness of the situation. It remains exciting to see what steps the party will take in the coming weeks to emphasize its demands for a ban and at the same time secure support within its own ranks.