Disappointing or forbidding? Tübingen Mayor Boris Palmer (53) has now surprisingly given Sandra Maischberger (59) a concrete model with which he wants to bring the AfD into government responsibility in the eastern region.
In a first attempt to publicly expose right-wing extremists, Palmer held a debate with AfD Baden-Württemberg state leader Markus Frohnmaier (34) in Tübingen in September. The mayor’s excuse at the time was that he could no longer ignore “ten million AfD voters”. There were riots and a large police presence.
Tübingen non-party mayor Boris Palmer (53, center) with Juso bosses Philipp Türmer (29) and Sandra Maischberger (59)
Palmer warns of AfD’s growth
Now at Maischberger Palmer immediately warned about the new and increasingly dramatic growth of the AfD, especially in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt: “First of all, I ask: What is the alternative if the AfD is at 40 percent? Is this an all-party government? How successful will this government be? How good will its policies be for the country, and how strong will the AfD be in the elections that follow? I’m afraid the AfD will get an absolute majority!”
Then came a surprising statement from the former Green star: “Then the alternative is to ask: Can you do that? AfDtake limited responsibility without accepting too great a risk to our constitution? I approach it pragmatically.”
Juso boss warned: Philipp Türmer warns of Palmer’s progress
Palmer’s idea: a CDU-led coalition with the AfD
Palmer’s new anti-AfD plan: “It could be like this: Prime Minister appointed by the CDU, Constitutional Minister appointed by the CDU to rule out risks to the constitution. Otherwise, the AfD will be given a very clear coalition offer, and then we’ll see what really happens if they come to govern.”
Contradiction! Juso boss Philipp Türmer (29) was immediately shocked: “This ‘take responsibility and then they will let themselves down’ – this is very similar and partly word for word to what was claimed about the NSDAP in the late 1920s and early 1930s!”
Turmer: “AfD is a very dangerous party”
Türmer’s drastic warning: “I consider the AfD a very dangerous party. They must not be allowed to be in the government’s charge. And for good reason, there is a legal remedy in our constitution against those parties, against parties that will ultimately use democratic means to eliminate democracy itself. That is a ban on parties, and we must do it now. I think there is a lot of evidence that such a procedure is possible!”
Palmer interjected: “When is the proposal coming?” – Türmer’s answer: “There is a clear process, the federal-state group must now come together and collect evidence. This process must start now, as quickly as possible. I believe this process has a great chance of success.”
Palmer isn’t convinced, however: “I agree now. This has to be done as quickly as possible. There’s nothing worse than talking about this ban for years and then doing nothing. I predict to you: this is going to be bad in Karlsruhe. But please do it now so we can clarify whether the ban can be implemented. Because as long as we move in two different directions, the fight against the AfD will not succeed.”
