"Grey Wolves must be banned"

A report by the Bundestag's Scientific Services shows that the " Grey Wolves" must be banned because of their "anti-constitutional goals." However, the CSU-led Ministry of the Interior is stonewalling.

A report by the German Parliament Bundestag's Scientific Services suggests that the "Grey Wolves" should be banned. The report states that the Turkish fascists "want to realize anti-constitutional goals in a militant-aggressive manner". Such a formulation justifies the implementation of a ban. Although the Bundestag agreed to an inter-factional motion for the ban of the Grey Wolves in November last year, the Interior Ministry is stonewalling. Helin Evrim Sommer, member of parliament for the parliamentary group DIE LINKE, sees the reason for this in the historically close cooperation between the CSU and Turkish fascists.

Sommer asked the Scientific Services of the Bundestag about the preconditions for banning an association and received the answer that bans are possible if, for example, "the purpose or the activity of the association is likely to seriously and lastingly impair the idea of international understanding". Against this background, the MP criticizes the policy of the federal government towards the Grey Wolves and demands: "The federal government must finally end its ostrich policy towards organized Turkish right-wing extremism in Germany." Pointing out that the Bundestag has already voted to ban the Grey Wolves in 2020, the MP continues, "A ban order must be issued immediately against the main umbrella organizations of the Grey Wolves in Germany."

"Grey wolves must be banned"

Sommer speaks of a legal necessity to ban the Grey Wolves, saying there is no discretion here. "According to an expert opinion commissioned by me from the Scientific Service of the Bundestag, the Federal Constitutional Court already ruled in 2018 that the Basic Law does not place the decision to ban an association at the discretion of the authorities. This also includes sub-associations of foreign associations operating in Germany, provided they meet the ban criteria. This has been proven to be the case with the right-wing extremist, racist-anti-Semitic 'Ülkücü' [Ideliast] movement.”

"Federal Ministry of the Interior must not override Bundestag"

Sommer points out that the Federal Ministry of the Interior is blocking a ban on Turkish right-wing extremists: "The Federal Ministry of the Interior must no longer ignore the will of the German Bundestag, which recently spoke out clearly in favor of a ban in an inter-factional motion. It must immediately issue a ban order against the most important umbrella organizations of the Grey Wolves in Germany.”

"Combating right-wing extremism in all its facets"

These are the 'Almanya Demokratik Ülkücü Türk Dernekleri Federasyonu' (ADÜTDF - Federation of Turkish Democratic Idealist Associations in Germany), the 'Avrupa Türk-İslam Birliği' (ATİB - Turkish-Islamic Union in Europe) and the 'Avrupa Türk Kültür Dernekleri Birliği' (ATB – Union of European Turkish Cultural Associations). These three umbrella organizations alone unite with their members the largest number of right-wing extremists in Germany who are prepared to use violence. Right-wing extremism must be outlawed in all its facets - regardless of whether it is of German or foreign origin. The blockade policy pursued so far by the CDU/CSU-led Federal Ministry of the Interior raises the suspicion that the past, inglorious cooperation of the Bavarian CSU in particular with the Turkish right-wing extremists will be continued in the future, or at least that their activities will be tacitly tolerated. This shows once again that when it comes to internal security, the CDU/CSU cannot be relied upon to put a stop to the anti-constitutional activities of right-wing misanthropes in Germany."