Germany's Merz warns efforts to ban AfD would not 'solve problem'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) would not solve the perceived problem of the party's voters in Germany.

The AfD recently achieved 43.8% of the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, prompting renewed calls for the party's anti-constitutional views to be investigated for a potential ban by the Federal Constitutional Court.

Merz and other state premiers have differing opinions on banning the AfD, with Merz emphasizing the need for mainstream parties to win back AfD voters through a convincing political programme instead.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has poured cold water on renewed calls for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to be banned.

At a joint press conference with European Council President António Costa in Berlin, Merz said he does not believe a ban would "solve the problem that the party's voters in Germany perceive."

The comments came three days after the far-right party won a resounding victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, narrowly missing out on an unprecedented absolute majority of seats in parliament despite achieving 43.8% of the vote.

In response, the premier of Germany's largest state revived calls for the party's anti-constitutional views to be investigated, with a view to a potential ban by the Federal Constitutional Court.

Hendrik Wüst, who leads the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said an expert commission should examine the AfD, which he described as "a party that, at least in some federal states, pursues anti-constitutional aims."

Under German law, political parties can be banned by the Federal Constitutional Court, but only after receiving an official petition to do so by either house of parliament or the government.

Wüst's proposal was quickly rejected by two other state premiers, and Merz warned on Wednesday that the requirements for a ban present a "very high hurdle."

Mainstream parties must instead try to win back AfD voters by offering them a convincing political programme, he argued.

Last year, domestic intelligence agencies deemed the AfD a "confirmed" extremist organization, although the classification was suspended pending a court case.

Several of the party's chapters in eastern Germany, including Saxony-Anhalt, have received the classification, which allows authorities to put organizations under surveillance.