As a German, a few comments: 1. IF the BVerfG, ie the constitutional court, would agree with the motion to ban, ever, that ban would NOT happen before the coming election. The one time the court (rather unwillingly) banned the DKP, German Kommunist Party, it took over four years to decide so. (and the DKP actually fulfilled the criteria, ie wished for an overthrow of our democratic order) . So, the chance of a "ban" before the election in February is exactly zilch!
2. The chance of a ban ever is close to zero, too. The AfD wants to stop illegal immigration, and "remigrate" some immigrants. Which is not "against the constitution", even if some amendments might be needed to make those plans practically possible. Which is one reason, maybe the main reason, why a majority of our politicians (and all important figureheads) are AGAINST the motion to ban the AfD (as the motion would enrage AfD-voters AND a "no ban" decision by the court would be great PR for the AfD)
3. OTOH: The motion itself may happen. Sometimes some politicians do stupid things. And most voters dislike the AfD. Many of them enough to like to see the AfD banned. So, the motion might boost the popularity of those politicians who propose the motion. Among their target groups.
4. OTOH: The "mainstream media" as in our big public TV-Stations but also private TV or newspapers are very anti-AfD (as they are very anti-Trump) and it shows. Thus the AfD can rightly claim to be "unfairly treated". As with Trump in the US. And as with Trump, this may actually help them. Only the 60+ watch TV a lot. Youtube is full with highly popular pro-AfD videos. As it should be in a free society.
5. I would never vote for this AfD - I am mostly open-borders (Bryan Caplan), I see the AfD as a tool for Putin, and, yes, I believe there is a substantial wing among the party-membership (not the voters), that actually do like Hitler. (A 'colleague' of mine has a car plate: AH 1939 - and the leader of the "right wing", Björn Höcke, loves to use nazi-slogans)
Update: now around minute 45 Malcolm mentions points 1/2/3 - and I appreciate your love for Germany. XOXO. I miss our last 3 nuclear plants, too (doubt more would have any chance of ever reactivated). Our economy will rebound once we have again cheap Russian gas from whatever regime follows Putin's (longer term, we might just buy energy from a super-nuclear France or super-solar Spain). - Also: Hungary and PiS Poland are seen as examples of "right wing" plus not so free-and-fair-press and independent-iudiciary. Anyways; Alles Liebe und Gute und:
As a German, a few comments: 1. IF the BVerfG, ie the constitutional court, would agree with the motion to ban, ever, that ban would NOT happen before the coming election. The one time the court (rather unwillingly) banned the DKP, German Kommunist Party, it took over four years to decide so. (and the DKP actually fulfilled the criteria, ie wished for an overthrow of our democratic order) . So, the chance of a "ban" before the election in February is exactly zilch!
2. The chance of a ban ever is close to zero, too. The AfD wants to stop illegal immigration, and "remigrate" some immigrants. Which is not "against the constitution", even if some amendments might be needed to make those plans practically possible. Which is one reason, maybe the main reason, why a majority of our politicians (and all important figureheads) are AGAINST the motion to ban the AfD (as the motion would enrage AfD-voters AND a "no ban" decision by the court would be great PR for the AfD)
3. OTOH: The motion itself may happen. Sometimes some politicians do stupid things. And most voters dislike the AfD. Many of them enough to like to see the AfD banned. So, the motion might boost the popularity of those politicians who propose the motion. Among their target groups.
4. OTOH: The "mainstream media" as in our big public TV-Stations but also private TV or newspapers are very anti-AfD (as they are very anti-Trump) and it shows. Thus the AfD can rightly claim to be "unfairly treated". As with Trump in the US. And as with Trump, this may actually help them. Only the 60+ watch TV a lot. Youtube is full with highly popular pro-AfD videos. As it should be in a free society.
5. I would never vote for this AfD - I am mostly open-borders (Bryan Caplan), I see the AfD as a tool for Putin, and, yes, I believe there is a substantial wing among the party-membership (not the voters), that actually do like Hitler. (A 'colleague' of mine has a car plate: AH 1939 - and the leader of the "right wing", Björn Höcke, loves to use nazi-slogans)
Update: now around minute 45 Malcolm mentions points 1/2/3 - and I appreciate your love for Germany. XOXO. I miss our last 3 nuclear plants, too (doubt more would have any chance of ever reactivated). Our economy will rebound once we have again cheap Russian gas from whatever regime follows Putin's (longer term, we might just buy energy from a super-nuclear France or super-solar Spain). - Also: Hungary and PiS Poland are seen as examples of "right wing" plus not so free-and-fair-press and independent-iudiciary. Anyways; Alles Liebe und Gute und:
Frohe Weihnachten!