Photo: Deutscher Bundestag, Christian Hepp

On 27 November, 2024, a group of 18 experts in constitutional law submitted an unsolicited opinion to the Committee on Internal Affairs and Home Affairs and the Committee on Legal Affairs of the German Bundestag.

Legal Opinion on Party Ban Proceedings
against the »Alternative for Germany« (AfD)

The opinion can be downloaded here [in German]:

The signatories are:

Prof. Dr. Andreas von Arnauld
Director of the Walther Schücking Institute
for International Law
Chair of Public Law with a focus on International and European Law
Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel

Prof. Dr. Andreas Fischer-Lescano, LL.M.
Professor for Just Transitions
University of Kassel

Prof. Dr. Matthias Goldmann, LL.M.
Chair of International Law
EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht

Prof. Dr. Christoph Goos
Professorship for Public Law
Harz University of Applied Sciences

Prof. Dr. Kathrin Groh
Professorship for Public Law
University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich

Prof. Dr. Felix Hanschmann
Dieter Pawlik Endowed Chair Critique of Law
Foundations and Practice of the Democratic Rule of Law
Bucerius Law School Hamburg

Prof. Dr. Stefan Huster
Director of the Institute for Social and
Health Law
Chair of Public Law, Social and Health Law and
Health Law and Philosophy of Law
Ruhr University Bochum

Prof. Dr. Anna Katharina Mangold, LL.M.
Professorship for European Law
European University of Flensburg

Prof. Dr. Franz C. Mayer, LL.M.
Chair of Public Law, European Law,
International Law, Comparative Law and Legal Policy
Bielefeld University

Prof. Dr. Niels Petersen, M.A.
Institute for International and
Comparative Public Law
Chair of Public Law, Public International Law
and European Law
University of Münster

Prof. Dr. Stephan Rixen
Director of the Institute for Constitutional Law
Chair of Public Law
with focus on constitutional law
and Public Commercial Law
University of Cologne

Prof. Dr. Kyrill-Alexander Schwarz
Professorship for Public Law
Institute for Constitutional and Administrative Law
Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg

Prof. Dr. Gernot Sydow, M.A.
Institute for International and
Comparative Public Law
Professorship for European Administrative Law
University of Münster

Prof. Dr. Alexander Thiele
Professor of Constitutional Theory and Public Law,
especially constitutional and European law
Business & Law School Berlin

Prof. Dr. Emanuel V. Towfigh
and Research Assistant Svea Alberti, M.A.
Chair of Public Law,
Empirical Legal Research and Legal Economics
EBS University of Business and Law

Prof. Dr. Antje von Ungern-Sternberg
Director of the Institute for Legal Policy
Chair of German and Foreign Public Law,
Constitutional Church Law and International Law
University of Trier

Prof. Dr. Fabian Wittreck
Head of the Institute for Public Law and Politics
University of Münster

Media Echo

• • Interview with co-signatory Matthias Goldmann by Jakob, Den Staat vor Unterminierung schützen [Proctecting the state from undermining], taz, 29.11.2024
  • Marmit, Die Verfassung muss sich selber schützen [The constitution needs to protect itself], SR, 29.11.2024
  • Papier von Verfassungsrechtlern: Unterstützung für AfD-Verbotsverfahren [Paper by constitutional lawyers: support for AfD ban proceedings], tagesschau, 28.11.2024
  • Lorenz, Die AfD ist verfassungswidrig: Verfassungsrechtler empfehlen Parteiverbotsantrag [The AfD is unconstitutional: constitutional lawyers recommend party ban application], beck-aktuell, 28.11.2024
  • Laut mehreren Rechtsexperten habe ein AfD-Verbotsverfahren Aussicht auf Erfolg [According to several legal experts, an AfD ban procedure has a chance of success], focus, 28.11.2024
  • Breyton/Schindler, Planspiele für AfD-Verbotsantrag – wie der Bundestag jetzt vorgeht [Planning games for AfD ban motion—how the Bundestag is now proceeding], welt.de, 28.11.2024
  • Keilani, Siebzehn deutsche Verfassungsrechtler begründen, warum die AfD verboten werden sollte [Seventeen German constitutional lawyers explain why the AfD should be banned], NZZ, 28.11.2024
  • Rechtsexperten unterstützen Initiative für AfD-Verbot [Legal experts support initiative for AfD ban], MiGAZIN, 28.11.2024
  • Bahlmann/Garbe, Verfassungsrechtler sehen Aussicht auf Erfolg in AfD-Verbotsverfahren [Constitutional experts see prospect of success in AfD ban proceedings], Spiegel Online, 27.11.2024
  • Litschko, Rechtsexperten stützen AfD-Verbotsantrag [Legal experts support AfD ban proposal], taz, 27.11.2024
  • Huesmann, Verfassungsrechtler halten AfD-Verbotsverfahren für aussichtsreich [Constitutional law experts consider AfD ban proceedings to be promising], RND = Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger = Hannoversche Allgemeine, 27.11.2024
  • Weidmann, AfD-Verbot möglich? Experten fällen überraschendes Urteil [AfD ban possible? Experts make surprising judgment], Berliner Morgenpost, 27.11.2024
  • Perband, Verfassungsrechtler lassen aufhorchen: Wird die AfD doch verboten?, Tag24, 27.11.2024

[Translated by DeepL]