Despite all of the AfD’s electoral successes, a ban against the party remains an option for SPD leader Saskia Esken. “Such a ban on parties is rightly subject to high hurdles. But I am convinced that we should keep checking this,” Esken told the German Press Agency. “It is important that there is talk about a ban on the AfD and that this also wakes up voters.”
SPD leader calls AfD “clearly anti-democratic”
To justify this, Esken said that the AfD was part of a right-wing extremist network, kept lists of unwelcome critical journalists and set up reporting portals for teachers who were critical of the AfD. “She uses every topic to incite people. For me, that is clearly anti-democratic,” emphasized Esken.
The AfD recently made significant gains in state elections in West Germany and won mayoral and mayoral elections in East Germany. In all polls for the federal election, the party is well ahead of all three government parties SPD, Greens and FDP with more than 20 percent in second place behind the CDU/CSU.
53 percent expect AfD to become head of government in East Germany
In September there will be elections in three eastern German states: Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg. The AfD is at the top of the polls in all three countries. It cannot be ruled out that it will win an absolute majority of parliamentary seats in at least one of the countries and will be able to appoint a prime minister.
According to a current survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the dpa, a majority of 53 percent of Germans believe such a scenario is likely. Only 32 percent of those surveyed consider it unlikely. In East Germany, 58 percent expect the AfD to come to power in one of the three countries and become the head of government.
Esken warns of “big break”
Esken warned of the consequences of further electoral successes for the AfD. “The current polls are a warning to us,” she said. “We will make it clear in the next few months that our country is threatened with great damage if the AfD gains political power. Because that would be a major break and a great danger for democratic culture, for our common good and our economic location.”
Esken first brought proceedings to ban the AfD before the Federal Constitutional Court into play in August. According to the Basic Law, a party can be banned if it takes active and combative action against the free democratic basic order. A ban procedure in Karlsruhe can be applied for by the Bundestag, Bundesrat or Federal Government.
AfD classified as “certainly right-wing extremist” in three countries
Esken emphasized that it is the responsibility of the constitutional protection offices to continually shed light on the threat to democracy posed by the AfD. If they come to the conclusion “that a party as a whole must be considered right-wing extremist, then the sword of ban must also be drawn.” The AfD in Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt is currently classified as “certainly right-wing extremist” by the state offices for the protection of the constitution.
The majority does not see the AfD as the strongest party at the federal level
According to a YouGov survey, most Germans believe the AfD has no chance of becoming the strongest party in nationwide elections. Only 28 percent of those surveyed think this is likely in the European elections on June 9th, while 57 percent think it is unlikely. There are similar expectations for the federal election, which is currently scheduled to take place in autumn 2025. 27 percent consider it likely that the AfD will become the strongest force, 56 percent consider that unrealistic.
42 percent do not believe that the “firewall” will last
However, many of those surveyed can imagine that the other parties’ strict demarcation against the AfD will crumble. 42 percent of those surveyed do not believe that the CDU/CSU will keep their promise not to work with the AfD at the state and federal level. Only 36 percent are of the opinion that this so-called “firewall” will hold.
