Politics · Germany · 7 hrs ago
Bosbach warns against pursuing an AfD ban
Former CDU lawmaker Wolfgang Bosbach opposes an attempt to ban the AfD, Germany’s right-wing party, even after leaked emails renewed debate about a ban.
The emails, published online by unknown people, are said to number about 421,000, and media reports have described internal messages including far-right statements by party members.
Bosbach says a ban case could fail and that a lengthy process could keep the AfD at the center of political debate for two to three years.
German law requires more than anti-constitutional views: a party must also actively seek to undermine or abolish the democratic order, and members’ statements must be attributable to the party as a whole.
A failed case could bring the AfD a major prestige boost, Bosbach warned.
North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wüst has proposed a working group involving federal and state authorities, constitutional law experts and other specialists to examine possible responses.
That review would consider legal consequences beyond a ban, but no decision on what action to take has been announced.
Wolfgang Bosbach has rejected pursuing a ban on the Alternative for Germany party, despite newly publicized email leaks.
He said the risk of a failed case was too high and warned that proceedings could put the AfD at the center of political debate for two to three years.
Bosbach said a ban would require evidence that the party actively sought to eliminate or damage Germany’s free democratic order.
North Rhine-Westphalia Minister-President Hendrik Wüst has backed setting up a federal-state working group to consider how to deal with the AfD.
The debate has been renewed by online releases said to contain about 421,000 AfD emails.
- Who
- Wolfgang Bosbach opposes pursuing a ban on the AfD; Hendrik Wüst supports a federal-state review of how to deal with the party.
- What
- Bosbach warned against an AfD ban, citing the risk of failure and the attention a case could bring the party.
- When
- Bosbach made the remarks in an ntv programme; the article was published on 26 October 2026.
- Where
- The debate concerns Germany. Bosbach spoke on ntv’s Blome & Pfeffer programme.
- Why
- Bosbach said the risk of a failed case was high and that proceedings could keep the AfD at the center of political debate for two to three years.
Wolfgang Bosbach
Hendrik Wüst
Approach
Wolfgang Bosbach
Bosbach opposes pursuing a ban, arguing that the risk of failure is too high.
Hendrik Wüst
Wüst has called for a federal-state working group to consider how to deal with the AfD, including the possible legal consequences.
Political impact
Wolfgang Bosbach
Bosbach warned that a ban case could put the AfD at the center of debate for two to three years and that failure could bring it a major prestige gain.
Hendrik Wüst
Not stated.
Unidentified people published online data they said included around 421,000 AfD emails.
n-tv published Bosbach’s remarks opposing an AfD ban and reporting Wüst’s proposal for a federal-state working group.
- Bosbach
- Former CDU member of the Bundestag
- Wüst
- Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Potential proceedings
- Bosbach said they could put the AfD at the center of political debate for two to three years.
- Email leaks
- Around 421,000 AfD emails, according to the people who published the data.
- Publication
- 26 October 2026
What people are saying
Nichts kann schlimmer sein für die AfD, als dass man über sie schweigt.
Am Ende bist du auch vor dem Bundesverfassungsgericht wie auf hoher See in Gottes Hand.