No more state money for party linked to neo-Nazis?
Nicole Goebel
February 2, 2018
The extremist National Democratic Party (NPD) could lose state funding following a vote by Germany's upper house. The party's espousal of Nazi ideology has worried lawmakers for decades.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Büttner
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Representatives from all 16 German states — known as the Bundesrat — voted on Friday to ask Germany's highest court to apply a law that would see the far-right NPD cut off from state funding for six years.
"Today we bring a motion by all the [German] states that serves to prevent the NPD from getting funds from the state, which it is actively working against," Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer from the state of Saarland, who led the intitiative, said on Friday.
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann chimed in, saying that it was "absurd" that German taxpayers supported the far-right party.
The initiative follows two failed attempts to have the NPD banned. In a controversial decision last January, the Constitutional Court ruled against a ban, arguing that although the NPD had anti-constitutional objectives, it did not have the political clout to undermine German democracy.
Court rules against NPD ban
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No taxpayers' money
The court did, however, say that the NPD and other anti-constitutional parties could be weakened by limiting their access to funding.
In June 2017, Germany's Basic Law was changed to that effect. It now allows lawmakers to start a legal process that deprives extremist parties of government funds.
The case will now be sent to the Constitutional Court. If it rules in favor, the NPD would be cut off from state funding for six years.
Before the constitution was changed, any party garnering 1 percent in a local election or 0.5 percent in a national or EU election automatically qualified for state funding up to the amount of money raised by the party itself.
In 2016, the NPD received €1.1 million in state funds.
The neo-Nazi NPD has been a thorn in the side of post-war Germany since its foundation in 1964. It's seen as Germany's most extremist active far-right party.
Despite the fact that it no longer plays a major role in Germany's political landscape, many argue it should be banned for its anti-constitutional objectives. Others argue a ban would be undemocratic.
The first attempt to outlaw the party failed in 2003, when judges dismissed the case after revelations that German security services had infiltrated the party.
Protesters, police clash as far-right Alternative for Germany picks new leaders
Several people have been injured during clashes between police and activists protesting against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party conference in Hanover. Authorities used water cannons against the protesters.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Protests turn violent
The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party conference was delayed for several hours on Saturday due to protests in the city of Hanover. Police used water cannons to disperse several hundred left-wing and anti-capitalism protesters, with TV footage showing authorities carrying away demonstrators. AfD lawmaker Kay Gottschalk said he was injured by protesters, according to dpa news agency.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Left-wing movements gather
Members of the anti-fascist movement Antifa, which has seen a recent resurgence after the rise of US President Donald Trump, were among people from many groups that attended protests, including several trade unions. Gathered under the banner "Our Hanover - colorful and in solidarity," about 6,500 participants rallied on Saturday.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. C. Dittrich
Anti-AfD protests begin early
Left-wing and anti-capitalism protests in Hanover began on Friday evening, a day ahead of the AfD's party conference. Authorities said those rallies went ahead mostly peacefully. On Saturday, however, the scale was far larger, as thousands more gathered from 6 a.m. (0500 UTC) to march towards Hanover's city center.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. von Ditfurth
Protesters and police scuffles
As protest groups approached the city center, demonstrators planned to obstruct road access to the Hanover Conference Center, where the AfD was holding its party conference. Officials reported that both police and protesters had been injured in confrontations. One protester, who was chained to a barrier, broke a leg while being dragged away by police.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Police fire water cannons in near-freezing temperatures
As a number of protesters continued attempts to occupy the streets around the conference center. Police resorted to firing water cannons in a bid to disperse the crowds, despite December temperatures being close to freezing. Authorities reportedly also carried pepper spray and battons.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
AfD officials closely guarded
As protesters rallied in Hanover's city center, authorities raised barriers and rolled out barbed wire around all nearby roads leading to the conference center. Such a strong emphasis on security is virtually unprecedented for a party conference and says a lot about the nature of the AfD's divisive politics.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Out in force, whatever the temperature
Despite the freezing temperatures, peaceful protesters continued to rally in full force throughout the day. "No one can dictate what it means to be German. We got rid of the far-right after World War II. We can do it again" one young demonstrator told DW's Elizabeth Schumacher.
Image: DW/E. Schumacher
From clashes on the streets, to potential party in-fighting
The AfD, holding its first party conference since being voted into the Bundestag, is electing new leaders. Members will decide whether hardliners lead the AfD further to the right or if relative moderates position the anti-immigration party as what they call traditionally conservative.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H. C. Dittrich
Picking new leaders
The 8,500 AfD delegates voted against a proposal to do away with the two-leader system in the party. On Saturday, Joerg Meuthen was elected for two more years as the AfD's co-chair. The 56-year-old received 72 percent of votes. Alexander Gauland was chosen as the AfD co-leader with 68 per cent of the vote.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Stratenschulte
'Patriotic course'
In his opening speech, Meuthen accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "failing the country" and called for a "patriotic course." Despite his free-market liberal background, Meuthen is popular with the AfD's supporters.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Stratenschulte
Giving a new twist to 'We can do it'
"There are people in this country who don't only say 'We can do this' but who actually manage to do something," Meuthen told delegates, apparently in a reference to Merkel's "Wir schaffen das" (We can do it) message to those who were skeptical about Germany's ability to deal with a record influx of migrants in 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Stratenschulte
Uncertain times
Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party has turned to the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) after her efforts to form a coalition government with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) failed last month. The AfD is hoping to capitalize on the political uncertainty in Germany.
