Former head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Hans-Georg Maaßen would not rule out approval for AfD bills with his union of values and has shown himself open to support from the party. If the AfD launched a legal initiative that was sensible and correct in terms of content, “then I have no doubt that I can go along with it. I would perhaps just be annoyed: Why didn’t we come up with the idea?” Maaßen told the German press -Agency.
He emphasized that the aim was not to become an opposition party, but to govern. “We want a policy change in Germany.” 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.” Maaßen had already made similar statements after the Thuringian state elections in 2019. Later, the FDP politician Thomas Kemmerich was surprisingly elected Prime Minister, with AfD votes making the difference. Kemmerich’s election sparked nationwide protests; he resigned a few days after his election – without having appointed ministers for a cabinet. Thuringia sank into a deep government crisis, which was only ended almost a month later with the re-election of Bodo Ramelow (Left) as head of government.
The former secret service agent and top official Maaßen plans to turn the Union of Values into a party that will also run in the East German state elections this year in Thuringia, Saxony and later in Brandenburg. Maaßen is chairman of the Union of Values. But he himself doesn’t want to compete in Thuringia. In the 2021 federal election he was a candidate for the CDU in southern Thuringia, but failed in the election. Maaßen has since left the CDU. For years he has signaled an openness towards the AfD that goes beyond the CDU’s stance. The Christian Democrats have an incompatibility resolution that prohibits them from working with the AfD and the Left. In Thuringia, however, they accept AfD votes if they can be used to pass CDU bills. In Thuringia, a tax cut initiated by the CDU has already been decided with the help of the AfD.
Maaßen does not believe the AfD is capable of forming a coalition
When asked whether Maaßen thinks the AfD is capable of forming a coalition in Thuringia, for example, he said: “I wouldn’t go that far now.” In his opinion, the AfD addresses important issues – such as problems with migration policy, climate and energy policy or economic policy. “But in parts of migration policy their ideas are simply too radical for me,” said Maaßen, questioning whether cooperation would be successful on this point. “My idea is: If you agree on an agenda and agree on our values, then it simply has to be possible,” said Maaßen.
On the other hand, he believes that not all AfD voters wanted this party to win an absolute majority and thus “sole power” in a federal state. “To be honest: nobody actually wants that.” However, the Union of Values considers firewalls to be undemocratic. We are ready to work with everyone “if they support our positions and values.” When founding the party, Maaßen wants to make sure not to include any “radicals,” “crazy guys,” or “slayers of fortune.”
Maaßen estimates the number of members of the Values Union to be around 4,000 to 9,000
A numerical limit is not currently being considered. But you look at the biography of the applicants. There is already a two-year candidate period – extraordinary membership in the Values Union association. As such a member, you cannot be elected to the federal executive board and cannot participate in changes to the statutes. There has been great popularity in the past few weeks, said Maaßen. According to him, if all applications were accepted immediately, the number of members would increase from around 4,000 to 9,000.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has taken a look at its former president and stored data in the authority’s information system in the area of right-wing extremism. On Wednesday, Maaßen posted a letter dated January 16th to his lawyer online, in which the Office for the Protection of the Constitution gave him relevant information about information stored about Maaßen. When requested, the Federal Office did not want to comment on the report and the letter with reference to the protection of personal rights.