The interior ministers' conference went calmly: the police drew a positive conclusion

The interior ministers' conference went calmly: the police drew a positive conclusion

On Friday, June 13, 2025, the spring meeting of the Conference of Interior Ministers in Bremerhaven ended. As the Bremerhaven police reported, from a police perspective the event was entirely peaceful and trouble-free. During the conference, the police attended two registered meetings and dealt with smaller incidents, including a criminal case and a search for a missing person.

What was particularly pleasing was that there were only minor restrictions for the population due to traffic measures. The police were not alone; it received support from forces from Bremen, Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Berlin, Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The Bremerhaven fire department and the Technical Relief Agency also contributed to ensuring that the conference ran smoothly.

Important topics of the conference

A central topic at this conference of interior ministers was the question of how to deal with the AfD and its supporters. The discussion about whether and to what extent AfD members should be taken into account in the civil service or even be subject to a ban was an explosive topic that also brought representatives of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution into the spotlight. The AfD is now considered to be firmly right-wing extremist, which is documented in a report, the publication of which has been postponed for the time being due to a court ruling. A corresponding ban was also discussed. North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul expressed concerns about the enforceability of a possible ban, while Bremerhaven fireworks manufacturer Comet warned that a planned ban on firecrackers could endanger over 200 jobs.

In addition to the AfD issue, the fight against sexual violence against children and young people and the role of international betting in German amateur sport were also put on the agenda. All of these topics are part of the ongoing work of the Conference of Interior Ministers, which usually meets twice a year and also calls special meetings if necessary. The preparations for the sessions are made by six permanent working groups that deal with various aspects of internal security, administration and immigration as well as other central topics.

Conclusion of the conference

With the end of the conference, police measures around the Atlantic Hotel Sail City were lifted. The access routes to the upper parking deck and the parking lot below the Zoo am Meer will soon be freely available to citizens again. The event took place in a calm environment for everyone involved, especially the police forces, so that those affected can soon move around in their usual surroundings again.

The meeting not only promoted exchanges between interior ministers, but also laid the foundation for future initiatives to improve security and address current internal security challenges. It remains to be seen what decisions and measures will result from the intensive discussions.