German Court Upholds Malu Dreyer's Statements Against AfD as Defending Democracy

The Constitutional Court of Rhineland-Palatinate ruled that Dreyer's remarks labeling the AfD as constitutional enemies were justified to protect Germany's democratic order, despite breaching neutrality principles.

The Constitutional Court of Rhineland-Palatinate ruled that Malu Dreyer's statements against the AfD, made during her tenure as Minister-President, were lawful as they aimed to safeguard the democratic constitutional order.
The court acknowledged that Dreyer's remarks breached the principle of governmental neutrality but justified them due to the imperative to protect democracy from perceived threats.
The ruling establishes new guidelines allowing state authorities to warn against political parties identified as constitutional threats in official intelligence reports.
The AfD criticized the decision, claiming it deviates from Federal Constitutional Court precedent and could lead to misuse of government power against political opponents.
This landmark decision reinforces Germany's commitment to a 'defensive democracy,' prioritizing constitutional principles over strict neutrality in addressing parties deemed a danger to democratic values.