German Constitutional Court rules to cut state funding for "Die Heimat" party

The Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe has reached a verdict on the application filed by the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and the German government to exclude the party formerly known as the National Democratic Party (NPD) and now known as "Die Heimat" from state funding.

Presiding Judge Doris König stated that the Die Heimat party disregards the free democratic basic order, noting that the party's goals and the behavior of its supporters are aimed at dismantling the free democratic basic order.

König noted that the court panel decided to cut state funding for the party, formerly known as the NPD and now known as Die Heimat, for a period of 6 years in accordance with Article 18 of the Political Parties Act.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her satisfaction with the Constitutional Court's decision, stating, "Our democratic country does not finance enemies of the constitution."

Stating that cutting state funding for parties is a tool for protecting democracy, Faeser reiterated that the far-right is the greatest threat to democracy and the people living in the country.

WHETHER THE DECISION WILL APPLY TO THE AfD IS BEING DISCUSSED

This decision by the Constitutional Court has also brought up the question of whether state funding for the anti-Islamic, far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party could be cut.

While some politicians and experts argue that state funding for the AfD could be cut on the grounds that it is also a threat to democracy, other experts state that the cutting of state funding for the AfD should be examined separately.

THE NPD WAS NOT BANNED

In 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled against banning the former NPD, reasoning that although it was a party with unconstitutional goals, there was insufficient evidence that the party's actions would succeed. However, the ruling stated that the law could be changed to impose different sanctions on unconstitutional parties.

Following this, the Bundestag amended the article in the law regulating state funding for parties, adding the provision that "parties that aim to disrupt or abolish the free democratic basic order or endanger the existence of Germany through their goals or the behavior of their supporters will be excluded from state funding."

Subsequently, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and the Federal Government filed an application with the Constitutional Court in 2019 to exclude the NPD or any successor parties from state funding for 6 years.

Meanwhile, the NPD changed its name to Die Heimat in June 2023.