Should the German intelligence service monitor a democratically elected political party for antidemocratic extremist activity, ICWA fellow Emily Schultheis (Germany, 2019-2021) asks in a New York Times opinion piece?
The Alternative for Germany—the largest party outside the governing bloc in parliament—argues that surveillance is a political maneuver designed to hurt its chances in September’s federal elections.
“The dispute raises questions about how a democratic state should draw the line between what is and isn’t politically acceptable, especially when extreme opinions seem to foster violent action,” Emily writes. “In the United States, these questions have become more urgent in the wake of the storming of the Capitol last month. Germany has been wrestling with them for years—and with renewed focus since the Alternative for Germany won its first parliamentary seats in 2017.”
Read the full article here.
