
German Leaders Consider AfD Ban As Party’s Popularity Soars
Germany’s political establishment is growing increasingly desperate to curb the rise of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a nationalist party surging in the polls. On Thursday, the Bundestag debated whether to ban AfD altogether, a move that critics warn would expose the limits of European democracy and reveal the soft totalitarianism creeping into Germany’s governance.
The push to outlaw AfD comes as conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU), accepted the party’s votes to pass a stricter immigration measure. This decision shattered a longstanding political taboo against any collaboration with AfD, prompting outrage from Chancellor Olaf Scholz and left-wing parties.
🚨🇩🇪 ALICE WEIDEL JUST DESTROYED OLAF SCHOLZ 🔥
Alice Weidel brutally exposes Scholz and his left-green mob:
While migrants attack our people, they protest against the right and try to ban the AfD.“Someone who thinks so authoritarian should not be the Chancellor of Germany.” pic.twitter.com/otwjssAxjN
— Naomi Seibt (@SeibtNaomi) January 29, 2025
A group of 113 lawmakers from multiple parties—including Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens, the far-left Die Linke, and even Merz’s CDU/CSU bloc—support launching proceedings to have the constitutional court rule on AfD’s legality. They claim the party threatens Germany’s “democratic basic order” and promotes “ethno-nationalist” policies. However, constitutional law experts argue AfD does not meet the strict legal standards for a ban, as it does not engage in active efforts to overthrow the democratic system.
Attempting to ban parties like the AfD is the final gasp of the declining Managerial Elite
— Imperator of Florida 🇻🇦🇺🇸 (@SouFloCon) January 30, 2025
AfD’s popularity has surged due to widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of immigration, the economy, and energy policy. The party has been subjected to intense scrutiny, including surveillance by intelligence agencies, media smear campaigns, and financial pressure tactics. Critics argue these tactics reflect a broader unwillingness of Germany’s elite to tolerate dissenting political voices.
Anyone who wants to ban a Political Party is the real enemy of #Democracy!#EU #Linke #CDU #FDP #SPD #Grüne #AfD #Bundestag #Berlin #Deutchland #Germany https://t.co/cfPILAIQNn
— Wim post t wel👷♂️🛠🧱 (@WMPost) January 30, 2025
Meanwhile, leftist outrage over CDU’s cooperation with AfD has fueled calls for drastic measures. A protest in Berlin saw demonstrators demand bans on both CDU and AfD, despite the two parties collectively commanding nearly half of the electorate.
One more reason why Europe sucks: In Germany, they actually think it makes sense to outlaw an entire political philosophy as "unconstitutional."
The German Bundestag is holding a vote on initiating proceedings to ban the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, following a petition…
— Joe Klopotek (@KlopotekJo5807) January 30, 2025
Scholz fiercely criticized Merz, accusing him of undermining Germany’s political stability by breaking the “firewall” against working with AfD. “A German chancellor cannot be a gambler,” Scholz declared, warning that Merz’s approach could harm Germany’s standing in Europe.
I don’t like the AfD but a ban isn’t a good idea. All it does is push them into a different party and or group. It doesn’t solve the problem and disengages people to the democratic system. https://t.co/ogNBsIXyrR
— Eric Zurlippe (@RealEricLippe) January 30, 2025
Despite the backlash, Merz defended his decision, saying he would rather accept AfD’s votes than remain passive while Germans face rising crime linked to mass migration. “How many more children must become victims before you recognize the threat to public safety?” he asked fellow lawmakers.
While AfD faces attempts to ban it outright, the CDU leader’s move signals a shift in Germany’s political landscape. With elections approaching, the firewall against AfD is cracking, and the establishment’s efforts to suppress the party may only fuel its momentum.