Publications
Decisive action to combat right-wing extremism – utilising the tools of a resilient democracy
press release 20 February 2024
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser presents new catalogue of measures to fight right-wing-extremism.
Today in Berlin, Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser, together with the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Thomas Haldenwang, and the President of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, presented a new catalogue of measures to protect democracy and combat right-wing extremism. The new preventive and punitive measures build on the action plan for tackling right-wing extremism, which was launched by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) in 2022. The measures are a response to current developments.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said: “We want to use all instruments of the rule of law to protect our democracy. We want to dismantle right-wing extremist networks and take away their income and weapons.
The fact that so many people are standing up against hatred and for democracy at the moment is encouraging. At the same time, it is a mission – a mission to protect our open society from its enemies. Prevention and rigour remain at the core of our strategy. We must do everything in our power to prevent this abhorrent ideology from eating into our society even further.
We should treat right-wing extremist networks like organised crime groups. Those who ridicule the government must be met with a strong government in return. That means persistently punishing every violation of the law. This can be achieved not only by the police, but also by regulatory authorities such as the restaurant and trade supervisory authorities. To this end, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is strengthening its cooperation with the relevant authorities. When it comes to right-wing extremists, we must leave no stone unturned.”
The catalogue of measures includes the following elements:
- Making democracy more resilient: When authoritarian forces attack democracy, the justice system is often one of their first targets. Our resilient democracy must put a stop to this. It is necessary to safeguard the independence of the Federal Constitutional Court more strongly against the influence of anti-democratic forces. In order to achieve this, it makes sense to include the key rules on the organisation and proceedings of the Federal Constitutional Court in the Basic Law.
- Combating right-wing extremism comprehensively: Within the scope of their legal powers, government bodies must show identified extremists at all levels where the boundaries are. Any violations of the law must be prosecuted effectively in order to send a clear message that a resilient democracy also includes a strong government. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is already providing the relevant local authorities with information, including the police and regulatory authorities, such as the trade and restaurant supervisory authorities. In this way, right-wing extremist events can be prohibited. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution will now make greater use of these powers.
- Cutting off the funding sources of right-wing extremist networks: The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has already intensified financial investigations significantly at operational level. Banks are being made more aware of the issue and financial structures are being analysed in detail. But there are currently legal limits, as the power to conduct financial investigations is restricted to incitement to hatred and violence. The Federal Act on the Protection of the Constitution is therefore to be amended so that an investigation can be launched if there is a potential threat. Factors such as potential action and social influence could be relevant in this case. The aim is also to introduce quicker and less bureaucratic procedures.
- Disrupting transnational networks: Right-wing extremist hatred must not be exported from Germany or imported into Germany. The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community is therefore working with the relevant state authorities to prevent right-wing extremists from entering and leaving the country as far as possible.
- Combating online hate speech: The Federal Criminal Police Office’s Central Reporting Unit for Criminal Content on the Internet is being expanded. Right-wing extremist content is also to be deleted from the internet. The Federal Criminal Police Office has further developed its strategies and tools for combating right-wing extremism and has organised its procedures and staff in such a way as to increase the pressure to prosecute crimes committed online, for example with evaluation projects and investigative proceedings in the digital space. This approach continues to be pursued.
- Countering foreign interference and disinformation: Right-wing extremists want to undermine the public’s trust in our state. This is a goal they share with foreign actors. Autocratic states generate artificial reach with fake accounts or invent stories with AI-based images. They use coordinated influence campaigns to manipulate the free formation of opinion. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is closely monitoring these developments and is taking action. The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community is setting up a new early-detection unit of the Federal Government. This unit will be able to identify foreign manipulation and influence campaigns at an early stage.
- Removing enemies of the Constitution from the public service: The disciplinary law, whose reform will come into force on 1 April, must be enforced consistently. In order to significantly speed up procedures, all disciplinary measures, including dismissal from service, will in future be imposed by disciplinary order. The lengthy judicial disciplinary proceedings will no longer be necessary. The next situation report on right-wing extremists, “Reichsbürger” and “Selbstverwalter” in the security authorities will be the first to include information on efforts to undermine the constitutional order and the legitimacy of the government and will be published in the second quarter of 2024.
- Dismantling right-wing extremist networks: Further measures to ban right-wing extremist networks that aim to crack down on the right-wing extremist scene as much as possible are being examined on an ongoing basis.
- Resolutely disarming right-wing extremists: The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community presented its draft to reform weapons legislation back in January 2023. Tightening up weapons legislation is a crucial component of disarming extremists. Specifically, the draft provides, among other things, that the same standards of suspicion apply to the Weapons Act as to the Federal Constitution Protection Act. Membership of an organisation that is placed under surveillance as a suspected threat by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution can thus lead to the withdrawal of a weapons permit. Semi-automatic weapons similar to war weapons will be banned. Crossbows will require a permit.
- Strengthening efforts to promote democracy: Civil-society initiatives which support democracy and tackle extremism need long-term and reliable support. The Act to Promote Democracy, which was passed by the Federal Cabinet at the end of 2022, is intended to make an important contribution. In view of current developments, it is urgently necessary for the German Bundestag to adopt the Act soon. In addition, the programmes of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (BpB) are being further developed and expanded. The “Cohesion through participation” (Zusammenhalt durch Teilhabe) programme strengthens projects in rural and structurally weak areas.
- Taking a stand in sport – against right-wing extremism: The new federal programme to counter right-wing extremism and hatred in sport provides funding to sports clubs with the aim of strengthening the democratic and integrative power of sport. A total of 2.5 million euros in funding has been made available for 2023 and 2024. The new prize “Taking a stand in sport” (Sport mit Haltung) for sports clubs will be awarded for the first time.
- Tackling antisemitism: The Federal Government has further intensified its commitment to strengthening Jewish life and making it visible in many areas. Funding for the Central Council of Jews was increased from 13 million to 22 million euros per year. The Federal Government also supports many other actors and projects of the Jewish community. Civic education is essential in the fight against antisemitism. As part of the federal programme for social cohesion, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community will also focus on the issue of antisemitism for the 2024 funding year and will provide funding to relevant projects.
- Protecting those who support democracy: Officials and elected representatives are often the target of hostility and attacks – including physical violence. For many active in this field, the extent of these threats goes beyond the limits of what is bearable. As a result, many of those affected are gradually withdrawing from local politics. The German Forum for Crime Prevention will set up the contact point for the protection of municipal officials and elected representatives in the coming months with funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. The contact point will support those affected, provide guidance and mediate between the officials and elected representatives and the judiciary, the security authorities and the administration. The direct exchange between municipal stakeholders and the Federal Government will continue as part of a permanent dialogue format.
You can find the package of measures here (only available in German):
www.bmi.bund.de/massnahmen-gegen-rechtsextremismus
