As of: February 1, 2024, 10:13 a.m
By: Stefan Krieger
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Collaboration with the AfD is officially taboo for the CDU, but not for the values union of ex-secret service agent Hans-Georg Maaßen.
Berlin – The man was once Germany’s top constitutional guardian.
Now, according to media reports, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has stored its former president Hans-Georg Maaßen in its own intelligence information system in the area of right-wing extremism.
Maaßen, who declared his resignation from the CDU a few days ago and founded a new party with the Union of Values, is now considered an object of observation by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, reported the
ARD
magazine
“
Kontraste”.
and the
t-online
portal on Wednesday (January 31st).
Maaßen on the allegations: “Abuse of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution”
According to the research, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has an “extensive collection of material” on Maaßen.
Their evaluation led to him being stored in the area of right-wing extremism.
The BfV did not comment on this to the two media outlets, citing personal rights.
“The federal government is obviously afraid of me and the Union of Values, so they are having me monitored and pursued by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution,” wrote Maaßen on Twitter, later known as X. “Ms. Faeser!
“This is an abuse of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to combat political opponents and an attack on the free democratic basic order,” he wrote and addressed Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) directly.
Applies to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as an object of observation: Hans-Georg Maaßen © Imago Images/Funke Foto Services
According to the research, responsible members of the Bundestag were recently informed about Maaßen's storage in a secret meeting.
Maaßen himself is said to have known about the incident for several days.
Parliamentary Secretary Irene Mihalic (The Greens) now sees a need for further clarification.
“This also raises a lot of questions about his role in the investigation of the NSU complex or about his work as the top protection of the constitution as a whole,” she told the portal
t-online.de
with a view to the reports about Maaßen’s classification as a right-wing extremist.
The role of the right-wing conservative values union also needs to be examined more closely.
Maaßen wants to govern: “We want a political change in Germany”
Meanwhile, Maaßen also commented on his new party's political plans.
He does not categorically rule out approval for AfD bills and has shown himself open to support from the AfD.
If the AfD launches a legal initiative that is sensible and has the right content, “then I have no doubt that I can take part in it.
Maybe I would just be annoyed: Why didn't we come up with the idea?" Maaßen told the
German Press Agency
.
And he set high goals.
He emphasized that his aim was not to become an opposition party, but to govern.
“We want a policy change in Germany.”
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He also reiterated that he would have no problem with a head of government being elected with the help of the AfD - for example in Thuringia: "If someone from the Union of Values becomes the top candidate in Thuringia and he has the chance to become Prime Minister, then it will be me “It doesn’t matter who votes for him,” he said.
What matters is what policy is made.
“If the AfD in Thuringia agreed with our people and went along with our program, I would have no problems with it at all.” The Union of Values generally considers firewalls to be undemocratic.
We are ready to work with everyone “if they support our positions and values.”
But he himself doesn't want to compete in Thuringia, perhaps because of bad experiences in the past.
In the 2021 federal election he was a candidate for the CDU in southern Thuringia, but failed in the election.
(skr/afp/dpa)