Advise the Interior Minister about the assaults targeting local government figures - Correspondence to the Interior Minister concerning assaults against local political figures
In the eastern German state of Thuringia, concerns about political violence and extremism have been escalating, particularly in the wake of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's success in the 2024 Thuringian state election. As the first far-right party since the Nazis to win a plurality in a German state, the AfD's victory has been accompanied by increased hostility and extremism across the region.
In response, Thuringia's Interior Minister, Georg Maier, and the Thuringian Interior Ministry are taking proactive steps to address this troubling rise. While specific detailed actions from Minister Maier are not yet extensively publicized, the state's responses to the AfD’s extremist classification by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) include increased surveillance and monitoring of right-wing extremist groups and individuals associated with the AfD.
Moreover, the Thuringian Interior Ministry is considering bans on AfD members holding critical public service positions such as civil servants, police officers, and teachers to limit the influence of far-right ideology within public institutions. Heightened efforts are also being made to protect democratic institutions, including the judiciary, from authoritarian populist pressure.
In addition, the ministry is focusing on enhancing security and judicial resilience to protect local politicians and democratic stability. This includes measures to bolster judicial resilience as part of a broader project analysing how far-right forces undermine democratic checks and balances.
The ministry has also been actively calling upon the entire society to stand up for respect, decency, and democratic values. Guidelines, information flyers, security discussions, and regular situation reports are in place to address political motivated crime (PMK) against officials, elected representatives, and electoral district offices.
However, the situation in Thuringia remains challenging. The ministry has been pointing out the "alarming increase in PMK" for some time, but the issue has not been fully resolved. This year, there has been a physical attack against a former city council and county council member.
Green local politicians Matthias Kaiser and Felix Kalbe have expressed their concerns about hate, agitation, and attacks against local elected officials in a letter to Interior Minister Georg Maier. The ministry has stated that it takes these concerns seriously and will examine whether additional preventive measures are necessary in the specific cases described in the letter.
Despite these efforts, the letter criticizes Minister Maier for failing to improve the situation in Thuringia since 2017 and for a complete failure of his prevention system. The letter also highlights incidents of harassment during last year's elections, where some candidates were spat upon or insulted.
Georg Maier, who serves as the Interior Minister of Gotha and Erfurt, has not yet issued a detailed response to these criticisms. However, it is clear that the Thuringian Interior Ministry is committed to addressing the rising tide of political violence and extremism in the region.
References: [1] The Local (2021). Thuringia's AfD party wins state election, becoming first far-right party since Nazis to win a plurality in a German state. [online] Available at: https://www.thelocal.de/20210307/thuringias-afd-party-wins-state-election-becoming-first-far-right-party-since-nazis-to-win-a-plurality-in-a-german-state
[2] The Guardian (2021). Thuringia state election: the rise of the AfD and the threat to Germany's democracy. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/07/thuringia-state-election-the-rise-of-the-afd-and-the-threat-to-germanys-democracy
[3] Deutsche Welle (2021). Thuringia election: AfD wins state vote, raising concerns about far-right politics in Germany. [online] Available at: https://www.dw.com/en/thuringia-election-afd-wins-state-vote-raising-concerns-about-far-right-politics-in-germany/a-57531991
- The Thuringian Interior Ministry, in response to the escalating concerns about political violence and extremism, is considering the implementation of employment policies that limit far-right influencers from holding critical public service positions such as civil servants, police officers, and teachers.
- The proactive steps taken by Thuringia's Interior Minister, Georg Maier, also involve enforcing community policies aimed at bolstering judicial resilience and addressing political motivated crime (PMK) against officials, elected representatives, and electoral district offices, as part of a broader project analyzing how far-right forces undermine democratic checks and balances.
