Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that the extreme right-wing NPD should have its state subsidies withdrawn and its tax relief canceled for six years.

The case is to an extent symbolic, as the Nationalist Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), now known as “Die Heimat” (The Homeland), has not been receiving subsidies in recent times after failing to obtain enough votes in elections. However, it still benefits from tax relief measures.

The court’s ruling could well play a role in current deliberations over whether similar measures could be taken against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

    • dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      10 months ago

      Just goes to show everyone how insanely disproportionate online noise is compared to how real people IRL feel. You’d be forgiven in thinking that all Germans hate immigrants based on discussions you see online. With the rise of braindead people supporting hardcore right wing politicians, it’s nice to see that it’s still a minority of people.

      • Serinus@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        I expect AI is going to multiply certain online sentiments by thousands soon.

        It could be good. If they push it hard enough, it may just be common knowledge that online sentiment is manipulative bullshit.

        Currently I think there’s still enough genuine interaction to drown out most of the troll farms, but I don’t expect that to last much longer. The troll farms will be grinding anyway as it gets closer to the US election. We’ll see how much AI they’ll have implemented between now and October.

        • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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          10 months ago

          Here’s an idea: it doesn’t matter whether it is AI generated or written by a person, some speech is harmful no matter who writes it.

          That’s why it’s illegal to make certain salutes in Germany, regardless of whether you’re being serious or not. Same thing with yelling about having a bomb at the airport. If you’re serious, you’re a terrorist. If you’re joking, you’re just a dumb terrorist. Either way causes unnecessary stress.

        • Ann Archy@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          How much could Russia afford this time around? Let’s find out in round three of Russo-American Psy-Op Games!

          “If at first your soft coup fails, just try and try again four years later, isn’t that so?”

          “Right you are Ken!”

          • Serinus@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            I expect China will be better at it this time around, though I can’t say how much they care to influence this election. It’s clear what Russia wants.

    • TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      10 months ago

      A friend sent me some audio from the scene.

      It was nice to hear Germans chanting “Nazis Raus!”. If only Americans had the same convictions.

  • bob_lemon@feddit.de
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    10 months ago

    Fun fact: there was an attempt to ban the NPD years ago, but it was deemed unnecessary because they never got enough votes to be a serious threat to democracy.

    • BuddyTheBeefalo@lemmy.mlOP
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      10 months ago

      Much funnier was the first try, they stoped the attempt because the NPD leadership mainly consisted of people working for the intelligence agency.

      • RedstoneValley@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        Deutsche Gründlichkeit at work. They not only infiltrate the party but take it over completely, up to the point where they do such a good job in pretending to be nazis that they become nazis themselves. 💯

    • Ann Archy@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      “Maybe we should prescribe antibiotics for this blood infection?”

      “Nah, it’s not bad enough yet. Just tell them to go home and rest, and we’ll see them in a few months.”

  • fosforus@sopuli.xyz
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    10 months ago

    If someone is confused: NPD are actual unashamed nazis. Nobody likes them in Germany.

    AfD are populist alt-right creeps, but they are enjoying a >20% support in Germany. I find it unlikely that their funding will be affected.

    • uis@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Too cringe even for right shoulds like “fired from Gestapo for cruelty”.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    10 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that the extreme right-wing NPD should have its state subsidies withdrawn and its tax relief canceled for six years.

    The case is to an extent symbolic, as the Nationalist Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), now known as “Die Heimat” (The Homeland), has not been receiving subsidies in recent times after failing to obtain enough votes in elections.

    The court’s ruling could well play a role in current deliberations over whether similar measures could be taken against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

    The president of the lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, said that the case against the NPD/Die Heimat was “of great political importance,” as it had never been explicable to the general populace why anti-state parties should receive taxpayers’ money.

    The judges ruled on whether Die Heimat’s agenda was sufficiently anticonstitutional to warrant the cancelation of the state support generally granted to political parties.

    Under German law, parties that are found to be guilty of attempts to undermine the constitutional, democratic order can have subsidies withdrawn for up to six years in the first instance.


    The original article contains 405 words, the summary contains 180 words. Saved 56%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • yetAnotherUser@feddit.de
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      10 months ago

      Because parties which gain a certain percentage of the vote (I think 0.5 - 1%, depending on the state) receive money to reduce their dependency on private sponsors.