The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained ground in three recent state elections, caused an uproar in the Thuringian parliament and triggering another debate on whether to ban the party outright.

  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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    30 days ago

    And it’s nonsensical to claim we cannot ban them

    Who is going to pull the trigger? Point to the opposition leader willing and able to try and dismantle a party with this many active supporters.

    We have laws against undemocratic parties

    Which are used to target unpopular fringe groups not regional majorities. The UK would have more luck banning the SNP.

    That’s like a core mechanism of our democracy.

    The core mechanism of democracy is to abolish political organizations wholesale?

    • Mrs_deWinter@feddit.org
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      30 days ago

      Who is going to pull the trigger? Point to the opposition leader willing and able to try and dismantle a party with this many active supporters.

      Read the article. It’s already happening.

      Which are used to target unpopular fringe groups not regional majorities.

      You don’t seem to know a lot about the German constitution. The opposite is true. Unppular fringe groups are not banned because they are not actually a danger to democracy, as long as government positions are not in reach for them. That’s exactly how the german federal constitutional court has argued in the past. Successful bans ever only targeted actually successful parties.

      The core mechanism of democracy is to abolish political organizations wholesale?

      The core mechanism of democracy is to protect itself, and first and foremost that means protecting itself from facism. A political organisation that’s threatening democracy should obviously not be allowed, so it will be banned.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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      30 days ago

      Which are used to target unpopular fringe groups not regional majorities.

      Oh, okay, they’re too popular to do anything about. Phew. For a moment there I thought there might have been a consistent opposition to fascism.