Controversy Surrounds SPD Minister Katrin Lange Over AfD Classification
Discussion Over Constitutional Safeguards: Minister Faces Criticism - Discussion over the constitutional safeguards for the Minister facing scrutiny
Straight to the point, let's get this show on the road
Political heat is brewing over SPD Interior Minister Katrin Lange following the boot of Jörg Müller, head of Brandenburg's Verfassungsschutz (Office for the Protection of the Constitution). The reason? The AfD's classification as a blatant right-wing extremist outfit.
Lange's rationale for the dismissal - a breakdown in trust, as Müller promoted the AfD from a mere suspicion to a full-blown extremist endeavor on his own accord, without notifying Lange until a month later.
Lange claimed that after the trust crumbled, she decided to take control of decisions regarding key observation objects for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In the eyes of her critics, it appears she's been itching for this power grab for quite some time.
Erik Stohn, deputy faction leader of the SPD in the Brandenburg state parliament, expressed his support for Lange amidst the commotion. However, he acknowledges a communication breakdown in the department. "Everyone should be on the same page," Stohn insisted [1][2][3].
The Jusos, the youth wing of the Social Democrats, slammed the dismissal of Müller as a worrisome signal during these times when democracy needs a united front. In the Juso state chairman, Leonel Richy Andicene's words, "We demand efficient and reliable security authorities that staunchly defend our constitution and unwaveringly combat clearly right-wing extremist enemies of democracy."
As for the Greens, who weren't exactly present in the state parliament, didn't shy away from slamming the dismissal as a political move targeted at a recognized enemy of right-wing extremism. The former Left state parliamentarian Isabelle Vandre accused Lange of acting like a parrot for far-right populism with her increasingly strict immigration reforms for months.
The Brandenburg Action Alliance advocated for initiatives working against right-wing extremism and racism to be strengthened. With trust, reliable planning, and political support, they can better tackle extremism in these challenging times.
The dust kicked up by the classification and the subsequent dismissal landed the AfD on the 'objects under observation' list on April 14. The department head, Müller, took the decision independently. However, it wasn't until a year after the decision, on May 5, 2025, that it was presented to Lange - exactly one day before the Parliamentary Control Commission meeting in the state parliament.
That commission, responsible for monitoring activities of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is set to convene in secret as per tradition.
With Lange revoking a service directive instituted by the previous CDU-led Interior Ministry in 2023, the minister is now placing power back in her own hands. By reclaiming the authority to decide on the classification of "objects under observation" of significant political importance, critics argue she's putting the agency's independence at risk, opening the door for political manipulation.
Rainer Genilke, the CDU state parliamentary group's interior policy spokesman, was quick to jump onto the blame-bandwagon, accusing Lange of allowing political interference to seep into the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. "This emboldens extremists on both the left and the right and weakens the resilience of our democracy," warned Genilke [1][2].
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- Controversy surrounds SPD Minister Katrin Lange over her handling of brandenburg's Verfassungsschutz (Office for the Protection of the Constitution), with criticisms of a power grab and potential political manipulation of policy-and-legislation.
- The classification of the AfD as a right-wing extremist outfit by Jörg Müller, head of Brandenburg's Verfassungsschutz, sparked heated deliberations and his subsequent dismissal by Minister Lange, exposing tensions in German politics.
- Despite the criticism, deputy faction leader of the SPD in the Brandenburg state parliament, Erik Stohn, has expressed his support for Minister Lange, acknowledging a communication breakdown but insisting on the need for efficient and reliable security authorities.
- The Brandenburg Action Alliance called for initiatives working against right-wing extremism and racism to be strengthened, emphasizing the importance of trust, reliable planning, and political support in tackling such challenges in the current political climate.
