It is impossible to fight populism with legal actions, and it may even make the problem worse.We must deal with the challenges from extremely right -wing, and propose solutions for the root cause of dissatisfaction such as high energy prices.Democratic values cannot be protected by restricting democracy and freedom.The challenge of the extremely right -wing must be at the voting station, not at the judge's seat.
Recently, it is reported that the German right -wing party Germany's selection of the party (AFD) politicians met with right -wing activists in November last year to discuss the "re -immigrant" conspiracy of extremism.This made the argument about the party's fierceness.
This secret meeting was held at a lakeside hotel near Potsdam. It is said that the focus of the meeting was that if the right wing came to power, it may expel non -German large -scale.Leaders, public intellectuals, and influential media commentators from various political factions are shocked by this terrible scene.They now believe that banning AFD is necessary for defending German democracy.
AFD's surging public support rating will only enhance the sense of urgency, especially later this year, the regional elections will be held in the three states (the party's base camp) in eastern Germany.Recent
Now, nearly half of the German public agrees to prohibit AFD.Recently, hundreds of thousands of Germans participated in protests against the party.In addition, an online petition that called on the government to deprive Tuolin Gen's infamous AFD leader Bj? RN H? CKE online petition -this is really unprecedented in the history of Germany -after the history of Germany -More than 1.5 million signatures have been collected.
However, trying to ban the country's second largest and most popular party, there is a problem in democracy, and there will be unexpected consequences, and it may affect profound negative consequences.
In all fairness, it is simple enough to ban the political groups that try to destroy or abolish the democratic system.The Constitutional Court will decide whether to close a political party after receiving the Federal Government, the Federal Parliament or the German Second House of Federal House of Federal Second House of Federal State (Bundesrat).
However, the court set a high threshold for political exclusion, and the attempt of the dissolution of political parties proved this.In 2017, it refused to ban the application of the New Nazi National Democratic Party (NPD), although the agenda of the organization has obvious racism and anti -democracy.In fact, the court used this mechanism to use this mechanism in 1956, at the peak of the Cold War, when it banned the German Communist Party (KPD).
This precedent shows that a lawsuit against AFD is by no means a walk through the field. More importantly, it is easy to evolve into a political defeat.In view of the popularity of AFD, even if the court is required to ban the party, it will be widely considered to be the tactical strategy of the old -fashioned party to eliminate the increasingly powerful competitors, thereby strengthening the allegations of the right -right wing on the control of the system.If this attempt fails, the status of AFD will be strengthened, not weakening.
In addition, the lawsuit procedure of the Constitutional Court will inevitably progress slowly (it takes more than three years for NPD cases), and the end of the upcoming election wave has ended after a long time.However, although any benefits that AFD may bring will appear in the future, the negative effects will immediately appear.In many ways, even if the debate is against AFD's legal operations, it will only provide more ammunition for this political party that rely on the victim's consciousness.
Even if AFD is banned (this possibility is not high), only the party will disappear; its supporters and their dissatisfaction will not disappear.Nothing can stop AFD members from building a new right -wing party -a choice of alternative choices.
It's time to understand that it is not possible to use legal actions to fight populism, and it may even make the problem worse.We must deal with the challenges from extremely right -wing, and propose solutions for the root cause of dissatisfaction with high energy prices, stagnant economic growth, high foreign immigrants, and the failure of new immigrants to fail to integrate into society.
Of course, the free democratic faction must be vigilant, and whether it is in court or in the Federal Senate, it has obligations and rights to counterattack.However, trying to prohibit political competitors is a shortcut that bypassing an disturbing fact, that is, the dissatisfaction of voters has a legitimate right to express dissatisfaction.Democratic values cannot be protected by restricting democracy and freedom.
The challenge of extreme right -wing must be at the voting station, not at the judge's seat.The defeat of AFD through the law will be a moral and political failure.
Author Michael Br? Ning serves as the basic values of the Democratic Party in Germany
English Original: Should Germany ’s Afd Be Banned?
All rights reserved: Project syndicate, 2024.
