- Title: Germany's top court rejects ban for far-right NPD party.
- Date: 17th January 2017
- Summary: KARLSRUHE, GERMANY (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF GERMAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT NPD MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, UDO VOIGT, ARRIVING AT COURT VOIGT POSING FOR PHOTO VOIGT ENTERING COURT VARIOUS OF BANNER READING (German): "NO NPD, BAN NPD" LAWYER FOR NPD, PETER RICHTER, ENTERING COURT SECURITY IN COURT NPD PARTY LEADER, FRANK FRANZ, ARRIVING THROUGH SECURITY PHOTOGRAPHERS FRANZ AND VOIGT POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH VARIOUS OF RICHTER PASSING THROUGH SECURITY MINISTER PRESIDENT OF RHINELAND-PALATINATE, MALU DREYER, ARRIVING IN COURT MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR OF NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, RALF JAEGER, ARRIVING MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR OF SAXONY, MARKUS ULBIG, ARRIVING MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR OF MECKLENBURG-WESTERN POMERANIA LORENZ CAFFIER, ARRIVING POLICE OUTSIDE COURT
- Embargoed: 31st January 2017 09:30
- Keywords: NPD constitutional court Germany party ban
- Location: KARLSRUHE, GERMANY
- City: KARLSRUHE, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZGYJPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Germany's Constitutional Court on Tuesday (January 17) rejected an attempt by the country's 16 federal states to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD), described by the intelligence agency as racist and anti-Semitic, saying it was too weak to pose a threat.
In the closely-watched ruling, which comes amid concern over rising support for right-wing groups due to resentment about an influx of migrants, court President Andreas Vosskuhle said, however, that the party was anti-constitutional in nature.
"The NPD pursues anti-constitutional goals but at the moment there is an insufficient weight of evidence to make it appear possible that their behaviour will result in success," said Vosskuhle.
"The fact that a party sets as its goal a course against the free democratic basic order is not enough for a party-ban. Much more the party must actively work towards the erosion or abolishment of the free democratic basic order... such a party-goal rests on actions directed towards this. A party-ban cannot be an attitude ban or an ideology ban. What is relevant is whether the party crosses the line and attacks the free democratic basic order," Vosskuhle added.
The federal states started exploring a legal ban after the chance discovery of the National Socialist Underground (NSU) in 2011, blamed for killing nine immigrants and a police woman between 2000 and 2007. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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