Banning the Neo-Nazi NPD Could Backfire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a failed attempt 15 years ago, Germany's highest court is deliberating on banning the NPD - the neo-Nazi party.

KARLSRUHE, Germany—Germany’s top court began hearings on a request to ban an extreme-right party that security officials suspect is behind a surge in racist violence against recently arrived migrants.The constitutional court is hearing over three days this week a plea filed by Germany’s upper house of parliament that argues that the ultranationalist National Democratic Party, or NPD, espouses neo-Nazi views and is a threat to Germany’s democratic order, and therefore should be outlawed.The NPD—which has strongholds in eastern German states but has never garnered enough votes to enter the federal parliament and has lost voters in recent years—argued that banning it would itself be incompatible with democracy.

In my opinion, the court proceedings are a waste of time and taxpayer money.  Banning the NPD would accomplish little, and could even backfire. The NPD has been a miserable failure - torn apart by internal discord and massive financial mismanagement. It is irrelevant as a political force in the Federal Republic.

Nach zahlreichen innerparteilichen Skandalen und Wahlniederlagen ist die NPD in einer Phase des Niedergangs oder bestenfalls eines Wiederaufbaus mit absteigender Tendenz. Von der Flüchtlingskrise kann die Partei derzeit nicht profitieren - in den Parlamenten noch weniger als auf der Straße.

("Following a number of internal scandals and election defeats the NPD is in a period of deep decline or at best a rebuilding which has pretty much stalled out. The party has not been able to capitalize on the migrant crisis - not in parliament much less on the street.")

Nor will a ban on the party have any measurable impact on the growing violence and hatred against the migrants - or, for that matter, against any "foreigners.

Das Problem des Rechtsextremismus wird ein erfolgreiches Verbot nicht lösen. Und auch auf die aktuell weit verbreitete rassistische Stimmung mit all ihren politischen und gesellschaftlichen Folgen wird ein Verbot der NPD wohl kaum einen nennenswerten Einfluss haben.

("If the ban succeeds it will not solve the problem of right-wing extremism.  And a ban of the NPD will have zero influence on the widespread and growing racist mood with all of its political and social consequences.:)

The fact is that many Nazis will find a comfortable home in the AfD (Alternative for Germany Party), now, according to recent polls, the third largest political force in Germany.  Some of the more violent members will undoubtedly join the must smaller, extreme III. Weg ("Third Way Party"), or simply melt into the mobs of Pegida marchers. 

A ban may even play into the hand of the Nazis:

Einige von ihnen hoffen nun sogar auf ein Verbot ihrer ehemaligen Partei. Der krude Gedankengang dahinter: Sie könnten danach sozusagen als neue Avantgarde der rechten Szene auftreten und ihre radikalen Positionen durchsetzen. Auch Parteienforscher Hartleb warnt: "Ein Ende der NPD – durch den Staat erwirkt – könnte einen Radikalisierungskurs jenseits der NPD beflügeln."

("Some of them go so far as to welcome a ban on their former party. The crude thought process is this: they could then emerge as a new Avantgarde of the far-right scene and act on their radical platform. The political researcher (Florian) Hartleb also warns: "The end of the NPD - brought about by the state - could result in a radicalization even more extreme than the NPD.")

Comments

[nobody]

No, David! We (Germany) made good experiences with the ban on the Communist Party (KPD) an the SRPD

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Reich_Party

After the ban the commies were "good girl".

BTW: A change of the Nazis from NPD to AfD would be perfect. "Wie der Herr, so's Gescherr" and vice versa.

[Zyme]

I think the AfD might really benefit from a NPD-ban by gaining the biggest bulk of its remaining tiny support among the elctorate (1-2%).

No big deal in itself but it might help the AfD to establish a position similar to the FPÖ or Front National as the all-encompassing "right wing" political representation.