Germany’s far-right AfD wants data on journalists’ political views

Times of News

7 years ago

The newest member of Germany’s parliament, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, is asking journalists to allow information about their religious beliefs and political views to be collected in exchange for access to a party conference.

The German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung first reported on the curious registration requirement on Friday.

Journalists registering online to cover the AfD’s national congress in December are being asked to check a “declaration of consent” box where they agree to the “collection, storage and use” of personal information.

Read more: The far-right AfD in the Bundestag — What you need to know

In addition to the basic requirements like name and press pass number, journalists must also agree to the collection of “special data.”

In the text, the AfD points to Paragraph 9 of Germany’s data protection law, which defines “special data” as information on racial and ethnic backgrounds, political views, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health or sexual orientation.

The AfD notes “political views” as an example in their text, although they do not ask for that information in the online registration form. The party states the data “will only be used for the purposes of the party’s work.”

The area is also marked as required in order to complete registration for the event, meaning no journalist can sign up without agreeing to allow the AfD to collect the information.

Read more: Postelection splintering continues to plague far-right AfD

The AfD frequently criticizes mainstream news outlets for publishing “fake news”

Investigation underway

According to the Stuttgarter Zeitung, Berlin’s data protection officer is currently investigating the matter.

If the AfD wants to gather further personal data from journalists that is not specifically outlined in the online form, it would be improper for the party to make access to the party conference dependent on agreeing to the terms, a data protection office spokeswoman told the paper.

Officials currently believe the AfD’s “declaration of consent” text resulted from a mix-up rather than an intentional attempt to collect information on journalists. The same passage is frequently used in applications for political party membership, where it is acceptable to ask the political opinions of the applicant, the Stuttgarter Zeitung reported.

Read more: Fears of fake news overshadowed its effect — in Germany

Whether a mistake or not, the German Journalists Association has not taken the AfD’s press accreditation requirement lightly.

“This is an unacceptable intrusion into the private affairs of journalists,” Hendrik Zörner, spokesman for the German Journalists Association, told the newspaper. “We call on the AfD to immediately remove the required agreement.”

The AfD won 12.6 percent of the vote during Germany’s general election on September 24, making it the third-largest party in the Bundestag and the first far-right group to enter parliament in over half a century.

The party, which frequently rails against “fake news coverage” by mainstream news outlets, has previously limited press access to party events.

The AfD will hold its national party conference on December 2 in the city of Hanover.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Siegbert Droese

The head of the AfD in Leipzig was the center of controversy in 2016 when newspapers reported that a car in his motor pool had the license plate: “AH 1818.” “AH” are the initials of Adolf Hitler. 1 and 8, the first and eighth letters of the alphabet, are considered a code for Adolf Hitler among neo-Nazi groups.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Sebastian Münzenmaier

As the AfD’s lead candidate in Rhineland-Palatinate, the 28-year-old Münzenmaier cruised to a seat in the Bundestag. Münzenmaier made headlines in October when he was convicted of being an accessory to assault in a case of football hooliganism. But because that’s considered a minor offense, he is able to exercise his mandate.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Albrecht Glaser

The 75-year-old former CDU man is the AfD’s choice for Bundestag vice-president, but members of the other parties say they won’t approve his candidacy. Glaser once opined that Muslims shouldn’t enjoy freedom of religion because Islam is a political ideology. Critics reject that view as unconstitutional.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Markus Frohnmaier

Frohnmaier is the chair of the party’s youth organization, Junge Alternative. The 28-year-old wrote in August 2016 on Facebook that “our generation will suffer the most” from Merkel’s decision to “flood this country with the shoddy proletariat from Africa and the Orient.”

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Martin Reichardt

The former soldier from Lower Saxony once told a journalist that he had no problem with “Germany for the Germans,” a phrase that is often used by neo-Nazi groups. He has also collectively described the Green Party and The Left party as “constitutional enemy No. 1.”

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Wilhelm von Gottberg

The 77-year-old from Brandenburg was vice president of the Federation of Expellees (BdV) until 2012. He wrote in the newspaper “Ostpreussenblatt” in 2001 that he agreed with the statement that the Holocaust was a “myth” and an “effective instrument to criminalize the Germans and their history.”

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Jens Maier

In January, the Dresden judge railed against the “creation of mixed nationalities” that are “destroying national identity.” He has also called for an end to Germany’s “culture of guilt” surrounding the country’s actions in the Second World War.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Beatrix von Storch

The AfD’s vice-chair is an MP in the European parliament and is known for her hardline conservative views. In 2016, she replied affirmatively to a Facebook user who had asked her whether armed force should be used to stop women with children from illegally entering Germany. She later apologized for the comment.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Alexander Gauland

One of the AfD’s top candidates, Gauland was widely criticized after suggesting that the German government’s commissioner for integration, Aydan Özoguz, should be “disposed of” in Turkey because she had said that there was no specifically German culture beyond the German language.

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Alice Weidel

The 38-year-old economist was the AfD’s other top candidate. Despite living in Switzerland, Weidel ran for the Baden-Württemberg constituency of Bodensee. She drew criticism for describing Germany’s integration commissioner Aydan Özoguz, who has Turkish roots, as a “stain” and a “disgrace.” In a contested email attributed to Weidel, she called Angela Merkel’s government “pigs” and “puppets.”

The friendly faces of the AfD? Germany’s new parliamentary representatives

Frauke Petry

For a long time Frauke Petry was the face of the AfD, and she’s one of the more recognizable figures in the Bundestag. But she’s no longer a member of the right-wing populist party. Petry quit shortly after the election after falling out with other leaders. Because she won her voting district outright, she still gets a Bundestag mandate, where she sits as an independent.

Author: Alex Pearson