European Parliament Passes Resolution on the Yugoslavia Crisis Situation
The AfD ban debate is heating up, with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) urgently calling for a decision on a motion to ban the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The announcement came at the conclusion of the SPD's federal party conference in Berlin, with a motion set to be passed by late morning.
The motion emphasizes the necessity of preparing conditions for an immediate application to the Federal Constitutional Court to examine the unconstitutionality of the AfD. SPD member Carmen Wegge explains their stance, stating, "We're making it abundantly clear that we consider the AfD to be the greatest threat to our democracy and that they're actively working to dismantle this democracy."
Readying for a Ban Procedure
Clamor for a ban procedure against the AfD has intensified since the party's classification as securely right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Despite this classification, which usually allows for expanded surveillance measures, a court ruling ordered a halt following an AfD lawsuit. A party ban would require the Federal Constitutional Court's approval upon application by the federal government, Bundestag, or Bundesrat.
In light of this, the SPD's party executive has demanded the creation of a federal-state working group to evaluate the prospects of a ban procedure and gather evidence. Wegge explains the rationale, "If this examination shows that we can make our case in court—and we believe we can—then it's no longer a political decision for us to submit a ban motion; it's a democratic obligation."
Questions Remain Over the Ban Procedure
While the Greens have also expressed support for a working group, Chancellor Friedrich Merz remains skeptical about the call for a ban procedure. Not long ago, an attempt to ban the right-wing extremist magazine "Compact" failed at the Federal Administrative Court in a similar case.
Still, SPD chairperson Barbara Bas emphasized during the party conference in Berlin, "We need to swiftly determine whether we have enough evidence to have the unconstitutionality of the AfD examined by the Federal Constitutional Court." If there is, "then as the SPD, it becomes our democratic responsibility to make every effort to ensure that a ban motion can be filed."
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-afd-rightwing-party-2025-11-08/[2] https://www.dw.com/en/german-intelligence-agency-upgrades-afd-to-extremist-group/a-58914388[3] https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2023-07/afd-extremismus-bundesamt-verfassungsschutz-bescheide[4] https://www.dw.com/en/german-elections-2023-what-happened-to-far-right-party-afd/a-61836173[5] https://www.dw.com/en/germany-afd-rightwing-party-2025-11-08/fd-138618136
"The SPD's motion to ban the AfD highlights the ongoing political discussions about policy-and-legislation and general-news in Germany, as they aim to prepare conditions for an immediate application to the Federal Constitutional Court to examine the unconstitutionality of the far-right party."
"Despite skepticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the SPD has demanded the creation of a federal-state working group to evaluate the prospects of a ban procedure, emphasizing their belief that they can make a strong case and fulfilling their democratic obligation if they have sufficient evidence."
