German “Alternative for Germany” Party Looks for Ways to Avoid Ban

For some time, there have been calls in Germany to ban the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD). Now, with the upcoming early general elections at the end of February, efforts to ban the party are intensifying, signaling that the far-right party, which is rising in opinion polls and currently ranks second with 18%, is beginning to feel the pressure.

In what seems like a preemptive move to circumvent a possible ban, leaders of the “Alternative for Germany” party are considering separating the main party from its youth wing, which has been labeled as more extremist by the intelligence services. This youth wing may be the legal basis for banning the party or parts of it.

According to the German Press Agency, the party’s executive board is exploring the possibility of separating the main party from the youth wing or even dissolving the latter to establish a new youth wing directly linked to the parent party, allowing for easier control. Currently, members of the youth wing are not necessarily part of the main party, and the executive board wants to change that. Under the proposed plans, youth members, usually under the age of 36, would join the parent party at the same time. This would allow the executive board to take disciplinary actions more easily, including expelling members.

The youth wing members are often involved in scandals that embarrass the main party due to their extremism. While the main party refrains from openly discussing some policies, such as the deportation of millions of migrants and Germans of migrant descent, members of the youth wing openly support these policies.

For example, Anna Lysten, a member of the youth wing, launched a public campaign on Instagram for the deportation plans. She posted a picture of herself smiling while looking at the camera with a plane and the words “Repatriation” at the bottom, asking in the comments: “Have you had enough of secret plans? Then join the ‘Repatriation’ team and show your public support for the plan.”

She referred to a secret meeting revealed by German media that took place at the end of last year in a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Berlin. The meeting was attended by far-right figures, including prominent AfD members, and discussed the deportation of millions of people from Germany. The meeting caused significant embarrassment to the party leadership, who denied that it was an official party policy, stating that the attendees were acting individually. Many compared the meeting to one held by the Nazi Party during World War II, which led to the “Final Solution” and ultimately the Holocaust.

Another scandal within the youth wing involved a 22-year-old member, Daniel Halimpa, who wrote “Sieg Heil” in a guestbook, a Nazi victory salute that is now banned in Germany. Halimpa faces expulsion proceedings within the party, though initially, the youth wing launched a solidarity campaign to prevent his expulsion.

These incidents, which are becoming more frequent within the youth wing, have caused significant embarrassment for the party, which is trying to distance itself from any associations with Nazism. The AfD is trying to present itself as a conservative party that seeks to preserve German values, despite its anti-immigrant policies. However, concerns about extremism are not limited to the youth wing, as some party members, such as Björn Höcke, have also been involved in scandals that undermine the party’s image.