Chancellor Merz pushes back on calls to ban far-right AfD
Reuters
Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merzhas expressed skepticism about banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying such a move could do more harm than good to democratic values.
In an interview published this week, Merz said he was “skeptical of procedures” aimed at outlawing political parties, as pressure mounts to take legal action after the AfD was officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by domestic intelligence. That classification is currently under appeal.
While critics argue the AfD poses a threat to Germany’s democratic order, Merz warned that trying to silence the party through legal bans may backfire. “We must defeat extremism through democratic means, not with prohibitions,” he said.
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