Spahn proposes stripping Thuringia AfD leader Höcke of voting rights instead of party ban

The proposal

CDU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn has proposed stripping Thuringia AfD chairman Björn Höcke of his active and passive voting rights, framing it as a more targeted alternative to the long-debated party ban procedure against the AfD. Speaking on the Focus podcast "Machtmenschen," Spahn said, "Everyone always talks about ban proceedings. How about we just start a procedure and see whether someone as extreme right-wing as him can be stripped of his active and passive voting rights." He argued that anyone who believes the AfD can be banned must be even more capable of producing evidence against Höcke specifically.

Everyone always talks about ban proceedings. How about we just start a procedure and see whether someone as extreme right-wing as him can be stripped of his active and passive voting rights.

Spahn also reinforced his political distance from the AfD, stating, "Anyone who works for Putin, spies for China, and uses extreme and radical language, from such people we distance ourselves, I distance myself clearly: politically, substantively, personally."

Anyone who works for Putin, spies for China, and uses extreme and radical language — from such people we distance ourselves, I distance myself clearly: politically, substantively, personally.

Höcke's legal and political standing

Björn Höcke is considered the far-right figurehead of his party. The Thuringia branch of the AfD was classified as confirmed right-wing extremist by the state's domestic intelligence agency (Landesverfassungsschutz) in 2021. Höcke himself has been convicted twice by the Halle regional court for using a banned slogan of the Nazi SA paramilitary unit. A court ruling also established that Höcke can legally be called a fascist.

Polling strength in Thuringia

In early July, the AfD in Thuringia, led by Höcke as both party and parliamentary group chairman, extended its lead over other parties in a poll. The party reached 40 percent, the highest figure ever recorded for it in the Free State, according to newspapers of Funke Medien Thüringen. The governing coalition of CDU, BSW, and SPD under Minister President Mario Voigt (CDU) together reached 35 percent. The next state election in Thuringia is not scheduled until 2029.

Broader political context

Spahn's remarks follow a similar call in mid-June by former federal finance minister and SPD politician Peer Steinbrück, who advocated stripping individual AfD representatives of their passive voting rights, citing Höcke as an example. Meanwhile, CSU representatives in Bavaria have recently signalled openness to a partial ban procedure against the AfD. CSU parliamentary group leader Klaus Holetschek said that solving problems and thereby regaining public trust would be more effective than a complete party ban, though he added that a partial ban procedure should be examined.

Spahn on coalition governance

In the same podcast, Spahn praised the cooperation between the CDU and SPD on the government's reform package, saying he had not experienced decisions of such magnitude in such a concentrated form in 20 years. He acknowledged criticism that reforms could be faster or broader, but stressed the need to build parliamentary majorities. "If some now say more and faster would be better, then I say I even agree with the basic finding," Spahn said. "At the same time, I have to do it in a way that produces majorities."