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SPD plans to ban AfD: danger to democracy or weakness?
The SPD is examining an AfD ban procedure; Concerns about democracy and right-wing extremist tendencies are central. Discussion remains current.
SPD plans to ban AfD: danger to democracy or weakness?
The political landscape in Germany is currently dominated by an explosive issue: the possible attempt to ban the Alternative for Germany (AfD). This debate came to the fore when the SPD passed an initiative motion at its party conference in Berlin at the end of June that called for a ban on the AfD to be examined. AZ Online reports that the goal is to take all the necessary steps to ultimately have the Federal Constitutional Court decide on the unconstitutionality of the AfD.
The Social Democrats see the AfD as a threat to democracy because, according to criticism, it abuses democratic rules. Jan Henner Putzier, the SPD member of the state parliament from Uelzen, supports this initiative and calls for the formation of a federal-state working group to collect evidence for a possible ban on the AfD. On the other hand, Christian Dörhöfer, the AfD district chairman in Uelzen, is critical. He sees the SPD project as a sign of weakness and emphasizes that the AfD supports the free-democratic basic order. This highlights the deep divides that exist in the political debate.
Difficult hurdles for a ban
At the SPD party conference, a majority decided that a federal-state working group would be set up to collect material that could be used to justify the unconstitutionality of the AfD. If the material is deemed sufficient, the SPD could submit an application for a ban to the Federal Constitutional Court. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil sees this as a “historic task”, while the importance of the assessments by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is also emphasized daily news reported.
Nevertheless, the legal hurdles are high. Lawyers point out that for the proceedings to be successful it must be proven that the AfD is taking aggressive action against the basic democratic order. An opinion from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution alone is not sufficient as sufficient evidence Deutschlandfunk emphasized. In addition, an earlier attempt to consider banning the AfD failed in February 2025 because it lacked a majority.
The AfD in focus
The discussion about a ban continues against the background that the AfD has been classified as “certainly right-wing extremist” by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. This makes it almost impossible to classify it as a normal party. Experts and politicians agree that the AfD can no longer be treated like a traditional political force, due to both the increasing number of its members and the increase in political positions it seeks at various levels.
While some politicians and parts of the SPD are unequivocally in favor of a ban, there is skepticism within the CDU and in some SPD circles, especially in East Germany. Critics warn that a ban on the AfD could potentially strengthen the party's position rather than weaken it. This could lead to part of the population becoming even more alienated from democracy.
The continuation of this debate will become relevant not only in Berlin, but also in municipalities like Uelzen, as more and more voices are heard that speak out both for and against a ban on the AfD. The political debate promises to be exciting and shows how deeply the topic plays into the social and political structure.