Escalation of tension between the police and the Alternative for Germany party - Parliament members accuse "unknown officials".
After a speech in the Thuringia Parliament (Thuringia State Parliament), the Alternative for Germany party accused the police authorities of misconduct and filed criminal complaints against "unknown officials", increasing tensions between the party and government institutions.
Two members of parliament from the Alternative for Germany party, Sasha Schlosser and Daniel Haslof, claimed that police procedures created a false impression of criminal activity, despite legal barriers to investigation. They stated that their complaint was submitted to protect parliamentary immunity and prevent what they described as persecution against innocent legislators.
The debate revolves around the speech of Björn Höcke, leader of the Alternative for Germany party in Thuringia, where he discussed his previous conviction in Saxony-Anhalt. During this speech, he repeated the banned slogan of the SA group "Alles für Deutschland" (Everything for Germany), which previously led to legal consequences.
The police initially confirmed that a suspected crime was under investigation, but later clarified through the Thuringia State Police that no official investigations were underway. Instead, online reports were referred to the public prosecutor's office, which must first decide whether to request the lifting of parliamentary immunity before taking any investigative steps.
Members of the Thuringia Parliament enjoy immunity and protection, meaning that statements made in parliament are generally protected unless the Justice Committee agrees to prosecute them. The Alternative for Germany party in Thuringia is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization. The party's legal spokesperson stated that the public handling of the case was politically driven and pledged to use all parliamentary means to pursue the matter further.