Does the AfD employ right-wing extremists in the Bundestag?

2024-03-18 13:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The investigations of the journalists of the Bavarian public media "Bayerischen Rundfunks" (BR) in Germany brought to light, that the Bundestag employs people who are engaged in right-wing extremist organizations, or who are considered right-wing extremists and are monitored by the Constitutional Protection. This has greatly worried the deputies and employees of the Bundestag.

Journalists report that in an office of a Bundestag building there is even a sign with the name of Frank Pasemann, who was a deputy of the right-wing populist party, AfD. He was expelled in 2020 from the party and parliamentary group. Paseman was accused of behavior that damages the party and anti-Semitic attitudes. So Paseman was no longer allowed to be chosen for an important position, but apparently as an employee yes. According to BR, he works for AfD MP Jürgen Pohl. Paseman and Pohl have not commented on these BR investigations.

Does the AfD employ right-wing extremists in the Bundestag?

More than 100 employees who are categorized with hostile constitutional attitudes

According to the research of the German public radio, BR, the AfD has employed in the parliament more than 100 people who are categorized by the Constitutional Protection as right-wing extremists. The AfD has dismissed the report, and caucus chair Alice Weidel said this week that, "this is so ridiculous and not at all likely." Bundestag President Bärbel Bas, SPD, will, however, verify whether tougher security regulations are necessary. The vice president of the Bundestag, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, spoke of a danger to parliamentary democracy.

Who will work in the German parliament needs an entry document. For this, the relevant authorities pass on the applicant's data for "a credibility check" to the police. From last year this procedure can be repeated once a year. A police report is also required. If there is data, the direct employer is informed. The vice-president of the Bundestag, Yvone Magwas, CDU, says that "the aim should be to keep employees who are being monitored by the Constitutional Protection out of the parliament. The Bundestag, in case of doubt, should have the opportunity to ask the Constitutional Protection."

From marching with neo-Nazis to an office in the Bundestag?

The people in question work either in the Bundestag or in the constituency offices of AfD MPs across Germany. According to BR, among them there are also those who are mentioned by name by the Constitutional Protection, or who have leadership positions in the observed organizations. Even, according to this media, BR, in the collegium of the AfD, also finds employees who participated in the neo-Nazi marches in Kemnic, Dortmund, Dresden, MAgebdurg and Cvikau. Some people appear in connection with the group, Citizens of the Reich (Reichsbürger) who do not recognize the German state. Research conclusion: More than half of the AfD MPs employ people who are active in organizations that are categorized as right-wing extremists by the Constitutional Protection. Even Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla have such people among their employees.

CDU politician: AfD's speeches remind you of the Kremlin's spokesperson

One of the features of right-wing extremist or constitutionally hostile groups is their closeness to the propaganda of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. CDU foreign affairs expert Jürgen Hardt told Deutsche Welle that "some of the AfD's wording here in the Bundestag sounds like what we hear from the Kremlin. These speeches are written by people who are very close to representatives of right-wing radicals and people who spread Putin's ideas here in Germany."

Does the AfD employ right-wing extremists in the Bundestag?

For the Greens and the leader of their parliamentary group, Britta Haßelmann, the case of a former MP and now likely an employee like Pasemann is particularly dangerous. "The research is alarming that the AfD on the one hand fires people from across the party spectrum and at the same time likely hires them as employees in the German Bundestag."

BR research recalls the developments of November 2020. At the height of the Corona pandemic, politicians were harassed inside the Bundestag by visitors, filmed and insulted. Among them was the then Minister of Economy, Peter Altmaier (CDU). These people filmed Minister Altmeier being harassed in front of an elevator and put it on the Internet. A Bundestag police security report shows that four aggressive visitors were invited by three members of the Bundestag. Alice Weidel, then chairwoman of the parliamentary group, said she regretted the incident. Three aggressive persons were banned from entering the Bundestag and fined 800 euros./ DW