First France, now Germany. Seems Europe (at least some of us) has decided it won’t sit idly and let far-right extremists burn us to the ground.
Although these are all provisional fixes. The true solution would be to get the people to ditch these idiots, and to do that, we need to fight disinformation and far-right propaganda on social media. Democracy can’t survive if the voting base is too ignorant to choose its leaders.
This is not a fix at all in Germany. There are no immediate repercussions of the Verfassungsschutz calling the AfD extremist. There might be more wind in the sails of the politicians that want a motion to ban them, but I’m definitely not holding my breath for it during a Merz administration.
I agree, it’s not a fix. However it’s also not just “calling them extremist”. It’s an official classification not just something haphazardly mentioned in a speech.
The move, announced Friday by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), means that the AfD is no longer merely under suspicion. The agency says it now has definitive evidence that the party works against Germany’s democratic system.
A 1,000-page internal report, according to German public broadcaster ARD, underpins the decision, citing violations of core constitutional principles such as human dignity and the rule of law.
The new classification doesn’t ban the party, but it allows German authorities to intensify surveillance, including the use of undercover informants and monitoring communications, under judicial oversight.
The true solution would be to get the people to ditch these idiots, and to do that, we need to fight disinformation and far-right propaganda on social media.
Agreed. But it seems that the EU is also doing something about that. Just like with AfD, they’ve been dragging their feet for way too long but now something* gave them a jolt.
We currently have an interesting success story of Die Linke (proper left-wing party) who managed to garner votes by embracing social media and *cough* populism in, what seems to be, a Good Way.
and to do that, we need to fight disinformation and far-right propaganda on social media.
Nope. I mean it’s not wrong to do that, but it would be mistaken to see that as anything but a flanking measure: You can’t fight affect with cognition. We need real-world policy which alleviates people’s anxieties.
You can’t fight fascism on the marketplace of ideas. The moment you sit at the table to talk, they spring up and punch you in the face.
Limiting circulation of fake news, holding those who spread it accountable, and forcing social networks to moderate their platform if they want to operate in the EU, should be the priority.
Nobody’s doing this. You’re arguing against your own fantasies.
They broke the law. You’re arguing for changing the constitution* to let the AfD continue practicing unconstitutional* politics, because you don’t want to make the AfD stronger?
First France, now Germany. Seems Europe (at least some of us) has decided it won’t sit idly and let far-right extremists burn us to the ground.
Although these are all provisional fixes. The true solution would be to get the people to ditch these idiots, and to do that, we need to fight disinformation and far-right propaganda on social media. Democracy can’t survive if the voting base is too ignorant to choose its leaders.
US social media is the vector for that infection…
You’re kidding right? Far right extremist thought bubbles websites predate social media
But you used to have to go find them. Now they’re being inserted right into your feed.
But we’re talking about now, not then.
This is not a fix at all in Germany. There are no immediate repercussions of the Verfassungsschutz calling the AfD extremist. There might be more wind in the sails of the politicians that want a motion to ban them, but I’m definitely not holding my breath for it during a Merz administration.
I agree, it’s not a fix. However it’s also not just “calling them extremist”. It’s an official classification not just something haphazardly mentioned in a speech.
Politico
So they can watch them harder? How does that prevent anything?
Germany should just ban Xitter. That’s where most of this nazi infection is coming from.
No, most of it is coming from BILD and the other traditional media that poisons our public political discourse for decades.
It puts some grants for them into question, so less money for the faschs.
Canada conservatives are trying to keep PP alive
Hypocrites the lot of them.
He has said many times there should be term limits on MPs and low and behold he is parachuting into Alberta just like a good little hypocrite does.
Imagine someone conservative running against him as an independent and winning.
That would be priceless. Are there any anti fascists conservatives living in the Battle River area?
Agreed. But it seems that the EU is also doing something about that. Just like with AfD, they’ve been dragging their feet for way too long but now something* gave them a jolt.
We currently have an interesting success story of Die Linke (proper left-wing party) who managed to garner votes by embracing social media and *cough* populism in, what seems to be, a Good Way.
Find, then degrade, deny and destroy, the sources of the propaganda, and do the same to the conduits.
Nope. I mean it’s not wrong to do that, but it would be mistaken to see that as anything but a flanking measure: You can’t fight affect with cognition. We need real-world policy which alleviates people’s anxieties.
Yeah you should ban their media, books, speech & lock them up. That’ll teach them about fascism alright.
On a more serious note, all this decision by Germany does is make groups like AfD stronger.
You can’t fight fascism on the marketplace of ideas. The moment you sit at the table to talk, they spring up and punch you in the face.
Limiting circulation of fake news, holding those who spread it accountable, and forcing social networks to moderate their platform if they want to operate in the EU, should be the priority.
Found the nazi.
“fight disinformation” =/= " ban their media, books, speech & lock them up"
You really gave that strawman a good beating though.
Not really, it seemed fairly low-effort.
Nobody’s doing this. You’re arguing against your own fantasies.
They broke the law. You’re arguing for changing the constitution* to let the AfD continue practicing unconstitutional* politics, because you don’t want to make the AfD stronger?
* “Grundgesetz” - close enough