Merz 'very skeptical' about AfD ban proceedings

BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in his own words, views the calls for an AfD ban "very skeptical." "The 'aggressive, militant' action against the free and democratic basic order must be proven. And the burden of proof lies solely with the state," the CDU chairman told the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit." "And I have always internally resisted initiating ban proceedings from the center of the Bundestag. That smacks too much of political competition elimination to me."

Calls for a ban procedure grew louder after the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the AfD as firmly right-wing extremist. However, due to the AfD's legal action against it, the classification is currently on hold. The Federal Constitutional Court would have to decide on a party ban upon application by the Federal Government, the Bundestag, or the Bundesrat.

Merz criticized the previous government's handling of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution's report on the AfD. "I am not happy with the way this process is proceeding," he said. "The old government presented a report without any factual review, which is also classified. The AfD is suing. I don't know the contents of this report, and frankly, I don't want to know it until the Federal Ministry of the Interior has derived an assessment from it." He estimates that weeks and months will pass before this happens./and/DP/mis