The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, currently the second most popular party in the country, is facing increasing pressure from rival parties seeking to ban it. Christian Democrat (CDU) MP Marco Wanderwitz claims to have gathered support from 37 MPs who will back a motion to ban the AfD in the Bundestag.

Speaking to the left-leaning newspaper taz, Wanderwitz stated that he is awaiting the release of a written justification from the Münster Higher Administrative Court, which recently classified the AfD as a "suspected right-wing extremist" organization in May, Remix reports.

Once the court's report is available, Wanderwitz plans to submit an updated and well-founded application for a ban.

If the Bundestag votes in favor of a ban, the Constitutional Court, Germany's highest court, will have the final say on its legality. An AfD ban could potentially throw the German political system into turmoil and raise questions about the country's democratic legitimacy.

Wanderwitz's push for a ban comes after he lost his own seat to an AfD politician in local elections. 

The AfD's growing success in eastern Germany, where it is the leading party and poised to win several regional elections this autumn, has left governing parties facing the prospect of losing power in multiple states. 

Some parties may even be excluded from state parliaments due to low vote totals, providing a strong incentive to pursue an AfD ban.

Other parties, such as the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD), are also rallying support for a ban. Green politician Marcel Emmerich has called for the establishment of a task force to collect evidence supporting an AfD ban, stating that the party is a "security risk for people and democracy."

The AfD has long argued that the open borders policies of mainstream parties have fueled a significant increase in violent crime in Germany, with foreigners reportedly responsible for approximately 6 out of 10 violent crimes in 2023. 

The party points to recent knife attacks, including those perpetrated by Afghan nationals, as evidence of the real security threat facing Europe.