It was investigative outlet Correctiv that released a bombshell report about a "secret" meeting at a hotel near Berlin in November involving around 20 people - including senior AfD figures and neo-Nazi influencers.
At least two members of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), the party of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, were also said to be present - claims being "examined" by party officials.
Discussion allegedly focused on so-called "remigration" - the removal of millions of asylum seekers, "non-assimilated" people and those with "non-German" backgrounds, even if they hold residency rights and citizenship.
germany is so fucked
Alternative für Deutschland has been enjoying record success in the polls in a significant election year, placing second behind the CDU and ahead of all three coalition parties; the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats.
Their rise coincides with dissatisfaction among voters with the divided government, as well as policy issues such as the cost of living and levels of immigration.
The AfD is hoping to make big gains in the European Parliament elections in June and could even emerge as the strongest party in next September's votes in the three eastern states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg.
Any pursuit of a ban would present serious political dangers as well as legal obstacles.
State repression is absolutely effective when utilized. If Germany gave a shit about opposing fascism (they doesn't) they could crush this party right now and cripple the movement for a decade at least in a single blow.
Sure, but it would also put on display the hypocrisy of the rules based order and Western values to more people.
When they do this to leftist orgs everyone agrees with it, and doesn't care. When they start doing it to the right and people don't agree, that's when things start to break down
But that won't do anything to the size of their voter base, it will only legitimise their ideas even more and will draw in more people dissatisfied with the old established parties who will vote for new or other parties that share those same ideas.
For example the former chief of the Verfassungschutz, Maaßen, is currently in the process of starting up his own right wing party.
So, imo this can only backfire at this point, this should've been done a long time ago.
Unfortunately I don't have any good ideas how to stop Germany going full fash, maybe Sahra Wagenknecht is successful with her culturally "conservative", yet somewhat leftist and anti-imperialist politics in making people vote for her instead of the AfD or whoever takes their place.