German Communist Party (DKP) released a statement on the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court to ban NPD.

ICP, 20 January 2017

The chairman of the German Communist Party (DKP), Patrik Köbele, made a statement on the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court to ban the fascist party NPD. In his statement, Köbele questioned bourgeois democracy and the rule of law against fascism.

The statement went as follows:

"What means the 'militant democracy' of which those who defend this state and the existing rule of capital talk? The constitutional court's decision shows what it does not mean: The NPD, an aggressive, racist, fascist party will not be banned. Of course, according to the law this would have been possible – article 139 of the Federal Basic Law means that fascist organizations are banned.

This bourgeois democracy is always 'militant' when the government considers it necessary to keep leftists and especially communists under surveillance, to purge them from public services, to ban their organizations. The Communist Party of Germany (KPD) is still banned, the Berufsverbote* against communists have not been terminated.

DKP still demands to ban NPD and all fascist organizations. A ban would weaken the fascists: It would make it more difficult for them to propagate their racist hatred, they could not pocket tax money any more. The verdict from the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe on NPD just shows once again: To struggle against fascists does also mean to struggle against the secret service. In this struggle, we cannot rely on the judges of this country.”

*"Berufsverbot" is a rule in German law ordering professional disqualification. It was first applied in 1933 under Nazi power against Jews, artists and political opponents from engaging in certain professions. This law of prohibition was applied in 1972 in West German under the name of "Radikalenerlass" (Anti-Radical Decree) to prevent citizens with "radical" ideas from entering certain public services. After the dissolution of German Democratic Republic the same rule was used against members of the German Communist Party.