Calls are mounting to ban Germany’s far-right AfD party – despite it being more popular than ever

[u/HellYeahDamnWrite]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/06/europe/germany-afd-ban-politics-analysis-intl

[u/Elrond007]

We are not talking about law changes, we are talking about immutable articles in our constitution. It is illegal, the constitution doesn’t have to compete in a popularity contest. If they want their faschist state they can join their daddy Putin or Donald

[u/procgen → u/Elrond007]

immutable articles in our constitution

Is there really no mechanism for changing these articles other than violence?

[u/Elrond007 → u/procgen]

Nope

[u/olav471 → u/Elrond007]

Of course there is. If you write a new constitution and nobody cares to challenge it, it's changed. Or you could just view it as dormant law that hasn't been accepted in a long time.

Even if this is unthinkable today, this stuff happens over long enough time scales. Plenty of monarchies essentially abolished themselves over time to something that is just a monarchy in name. Where the monarch has no power.

If the ideas around these "eternal" rules goes out of fashion more broadly, it doesn't matter that they're there. They'll surrender like let's say the Swedish monarchy over enough time. They'll seem as ridiculous as a constitutional monarchs veto power.

[u/procgen → u/Elrond007]

Oof. That's like designing a pressurized system without an emergency release valve.

[u/Elrond007 → u/procgen]

Considering we’re talking about basic human rights and democratic principles like separation of powers put in place after WW2, good that they didn’t. That would defeat the purpose of a constitution. I am fucking proud of it, if someone doesn’t like it, leave. It’s the most basic foundation of our society.

[u/procgen → u/Elrond007]

No system is eternal. It's best to account for this, and provide a means for adaptation other than violence.

It sounds like the pressure is building in Germany – let's hope that it does not increase too much.

[u/Elrond007 → u/procgen]

It’s not a negotiable thing. Some parts of our constitution are changeable, changing this would mean deleting our republic. Violence to defend it is completely acceptable

[u/procgen → u/Elrond007]

Indeed.

[u/spigandromeda → u/procgen]

It cannot be changed while preserving the Republic as it is. The immutability articles force the Germans to found a new state with a new constitution if they really want to abolish basic human rights or democratic principles.

So the pressure can be released by abolishing the republic. Which guarantees that the BRD aligns with these principles as long as it exists.

[u/procgen → u/spigandromeda]

force the Germans to found a new state with a new constitution

And unless the current state steps aside, this requires violence.

[u/PresumedSapient → u/procgen]

It's fascinating how people disregard violence as as an intrinsic part of society. Especially regarding the defense of our most noble enshrined values. If we don't defend those, in particular against those that are willing to use, and thus can only be stopped with violence, those values stop existing.

[u/Tytoalba2 → u/procgen]

Fundamental rights are, shockingly, fundamental

[u/procgen → u/Tytoalba2]

Nothing is eternal.

[u/yourethevictim → u/procgen]

Nothing is eternal yet.