Germany: Right-wing extremist NPD excluded from German party financing

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The National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) renamed itself Die Heimat last June. It was the first case of its kind at Germany’s highest court. The ruling will likely also be discussed in relation to the AfD.

The legislature created the possibility to exclude funding after the second failed NPD ban procedure in 2017. The Constitutional Court rejected a ban at the time because there was no evidence that the party could achieve its anti-constitutional objectives.

The Bundestag, the Bundesrat and the federal government have submitted a request to the Constitutional Court to exclude the NPD and possible replacement parties from party financing for six years. The term is laid down by law.

This is how party financing works

In Germany, parties can receive money from the state for their work – such as election campaigns. The sum is calculated according to a specific key, which includes votes. To qualify, parties must achieve a minimum share in the most recent elections at state, federal and European level. Because the NPD has not done this recently, it has not received any money since 2021, according to Bundestag figures.

Blueprint for the AfD?

The NPD was founded in the 1960s. At the time, she temporarily managed to gain access to several West German state parliaments. After German reunification, she had some electoral success in East Germany. With the rise of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) after 2013, this faded into insignificance.

The current decision of the Constitutional Court could also be a blueprint for the AfD. For example, CSU boss Markus Söder raised the option of a funding exclusion procedure in the current debate over a possible AfD ban. However, this will also likely be a very lengthy process. In national polls, the AfD currently stands at more than 20 percent and could even become the strongest party in the state elections in three East German states in September.

(SDA)

Source:Blick