MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2020) German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will use all legal options over Chancellor Angela Merkel's interference with a regional vote in Thuringia in February, Siegbert Droese, a member of the Bundestag Committee on the Affairs of the European Union from the AfD party, told Sputnik on Thursday.
AfD said on Wednesday it had filed complaints against Merkel and the government with the country's top court over the statements she made during a visit to Africa related to a political crisis in the eastern state of Thuringia on February 5. AfD came second behind the left-wing Die Linke party in Thuringia last October. But in what was described as a shock decision, it helped liberal leader Thomas Kemmerich from Merkel's party to become state premier during a February secret vote in the local parliament. This outcome prompted the Federal government's outrage, with Merkel calling the election "unforgivable" and demanding that the outcome be reversed. Kemmerich stepped down soon afterwards.
"Mrs. Merkel used the international stage to delegitimize the result of democratic elections in Germany and to ban democratic coalitions. In doing so, she has clearly abused her power and violated the constitution. Such behavior is unworthy of a democracy! ... The AfD will certainly use all legal options to protect the constitutional rights," Droese said.
Droese expressed hope that the Constitutional Court would reprimand Merkel's "obviously illegal" statement.
Another AfD member, Albert Breininger, believes that the fact that this case would be considered by the court is important for the German democracy.
"Of course, Merkel cannot be put on trial. She, as always, hides behind her immunity. But the very fact that this case will be discussed in the court and a legal assessment will be provided, says a lot. Based on the results of this trial, we can already make an assessment of Germany as a state governed by the rule of law," Breininger said.
Wednesday's lawsuits come shortly after the German top court ruled in favor of another AfD lawsuit against conservative Interior Minister Horst Seehofer for violating neutrality rules after he said in an interview that the far-right party was working to undermine the state.
