Interior Minister Nancy Faeser kept her word and presented her plan of action against the right before Easter. She wants to disarm right-wing extremists, consistently remove them from the civil service and better protect the victims.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) sees right-wing extremism as the “greatest extremist threat” to democracy in Germany. On Tuesday she presented a ten-point action plan to fight right-wing extremism “with prevention and toughness”. The security authorities are supposed to “smash” right-wing extremist networks by “enlightening and drying up” financial flows, “consistently disarming” radicals and resolutely prosecuting hate speech on the Internet.
There are more than 13,300 violent right-wing extremists in Germany, said the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, at a joint press conference. In 2020 there were 22,357 crimes in this area. Of these, 1023 were acts of violence. Haldenwang also referred to a count by the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, according to which more than 200 people had died as a result of right-wing extremist violence since 1990.
The action plan is “a first step” by the new federal government to take action against right-wing extremism, said Faeser. It’s about “taking the space out of contempt for human beings, removing the breeding ground for violence.”
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In the action plan, Faeser also announces more effective instruments to more easily remove “enemies of the constitution” from the public service. For this purpose, the disciplinary law should be changed. A status report on right-wing extremists in security agencies should now gradually be extended to the entire public service.
Faeser sees a “contempt for state and democracy”
Another goal of the action plan is better protection of local politicians against hostilities and violent attacks. “The number of interventions registered by the police has more than tripled in recent years,” said Faeser. This shows a “brutalization and contempt for the state and democracy”. An alliance with states, municipalities and civil society organizations should now develop concrete proposals for better protection of elected officials.
When dealing with victims of right-wing extremist violence, “intercultural skills” should also be taught more intensively in police training with the federal states. Training should be provided “for a more sensitive initial contact” and “more empathy” towards those affected.
Faeser said that conspiracy theories that paved the way for radicalization should be fought more intensively. To this end, a central counseling service should be created at federal level for people who have identified radicalization in their personal environment due to a belief in conspiracies.
In addition, the “democratic culture of debate” should be promoted more, said the minister. To this end, the “Talking Together” program of the Federal Agency for Civic Education will be expanded. Political education in the fight against right-wing extremism in schools and in youth and adult education should also be strengthened with a new funding priority. Finally, a further goal of the action plan is to strengthen media competence in dealing with disinformation.
Positive echo – but Faeser has to be measured by their announcements
The Amadeu Antonio Foundation called Faeser’s action plan “an important signal”. The minister must now be measured “by executed arrest warrants, banned organizations and confiscated illegally acquired assets”.
The domestic political spokeswoman for the left-wing faction, Martina Renner, spoke of a “brave step”. The measures must now be implemented “quickly and consistently”. However, the deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Konstantin Kuhle, regretted that Faeser’s plan did not include the traffic light coalition’s intention to put the joint extremism and counter-terrorism center on a legal basis in order to increase cooperation between the federal and state governments in this area improve.
Source: Stern
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