AfD on public safety

The AfD wants to limit the Verfassungsschutz (domestic intelligence service) to preventing acts that endanger the state. It should neither assess citizens' political convictions nor interfere in how parties form their positions. The platform accuses the agencies of being used in part against the opposition, and against the AfD in particular.

The Verfassungsschutz is Germany's intelligence service for inside the country. The AfD wants to limit its tasks. It should only stop dangerous acts against the state. It should not judge what citizens think. It should not interfere with parties either.

As an example of acts that endanger the state, the platform names Islamist organizations. In the AfD's view, federal and state intelligence offices are sometimes used to deliberately discredit and suppress the opposition, which it says violates European minimum standards of democracy. The party sees itself as especially affected. It argues that criticism of the government is legitimate and must not be a matter for the intelligence service.

The AfD wants authorities to act more strongly against left-wing extremism, Islamism and what it calls "climate extremism." It considers the "fight against the right" oversized and one-sided. Nonviolent criticism of the government, it says, must not be labeled extremist.

The AfD says it rejects every kind of extremism. The state should do more against left-wing violence and Islamists. It should also act against radical climate groups. The AfD thinks the state looks too much only at the right. Peaceful criticism of the government should stay allowed.

In the platform's view, left-wing extremism, religious fanaticism, especially political Islam, and climate extremism are being neglected. The radicalization of Islamists is to be fought effectively, as is the emergence of so-called no-go areas, which the AfD says serve as retreats for criminals and extremists. The party sees growing radicalization in groups such as "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) and wants police and courts to uncover their backers, structures and funders. At the same time, police measures should stay proportionate and interfere with freedoms as little as possible. The opposition must not be delegitimized by being classified as extremist.

The AfD rejects stricter gun laws and weapons-ban zones. Its reasoning is that gun violence comes from illegal, unregistered weapons and not from hunters, collectors or sport shooters.

The AfD does not want stricter gun laws. It says hunters and sport shooters are not the problem. The problem is illegal guns that are not registered. The AfD also does not want zones where weapons are banned.

According to the platform, past tightening and official requirements endanger hunting, shooting sports and the upkeep of traditions in Bavaria. The AfD regards weapons-ban zones as ineffective restrictions on freedom that only treat symptoms. Gun law should in the future protect the needs of hunting, sport, tradition and self-defense. The platform names Switzerland and the Czech Republic as models.

The AfD wants more visible police, less paperwork on the job, and better equipment and training for officers. At the same time, the powers of security agencies should stay limited so that individual freedoms are preserved.

The AfD wants more police officers on the street. The police should have less paperwork. Officers should get better gear and more training. The freedom of citizens should stay protected.

The platform calls for crimes to be solved more consistently and for more prevention. On equipment, the AfD lists stab-resistant vests and Tasers; body cams and dash cams should be used consistently to secure evidence. The party rejects a "militarization" of the police. Training would include yearly courses on new laws and more intensive, practice-oriented firearms training. The powers of security agencies should be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The AfD wants to reverse the tightening of Bavaria's Polizeiaufgabengesetz (Police Powers Act). In its view, the reforms greatly expanded state powers without increasing security.

Bavaria has a law about what the police may do. For some years this law has given the police more powers. The AfD wants to remove these new powers again. It says citizens have less freedom because of them, but not more safety.

The Police Powers Act governs what the Bavarian police may do to avert dangers. The AfD rejects in particular the expanded preventive detention, meaning holding people in custody to stop possible offenses. In the platform's view, it would be enough to apply existing laws consistently and to support the courts in their work. The party argues that stricter laws only mask the state government's failures in fighting crime.

The AfD opposes blanket video surveillance and wants cameras allowed only at crime hot spots. Instead, more police officers on the streets are meant to prevent crime. Speed checks would also be restricted to particularly dangerous locations.

The AfD does not want cameras everywhere. Cameras should only be in places with a lot of crime. More police officers should be out on the streets instead. Speed cameras should only stand in dangerous places, such as near schools.

The platform bases its position on video surveillance on protecting fundamental rights and freedoms, and on the argument that cameras do not prevent crimes. For prevention it calls for a more visible police presence and decentralized stations in problem areas. Speed and parking enforcement should serve road safety, not municipal revenue. Checks should focus on accident hot spots and the areas around schools, kindergartens and playgrounds; the party rejects campaigns such as the "Blitzmarathon" (a mass speed-check day).