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Paint attack on an office of the Green Party in Osnabrück

Photo: Martin Schröder / CHROMORANGE / IMAGO

How can local politicians be better protected from hatred, agitation and violence? The Greens in Brandenburg are now once again bringing legal protection insurance for honorary local politicians into play. The contact point in the Ministry of the Interior must also be expanded, where those affected can get advice after threats or hostility, demanded the state chairwoman Alexandra Pichl.

"The state needs to do a better job of protecting local politicians, because they are fighting for democracy on the ground every day," said Pichl. In addition to equipping the contact point with more staff, legal protection insurance is an important prerequisite for those affected to be able to defend themselves. "It's often a question of money to get legal advice," she said. "The expense allowance alone is not enough."

The contact point is under the responsibility of the police headquarters, reported the spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior, Martin Burmeister. Police officers are available on the helpline as contact persons. In addition, the ministry recommends that threats be reported as a matter of principle.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been significantly more verbal and physical attacks on politicians and party offices nationwide. In the first six months, 739 attacks on representatives of the parties represented in the Bundestag were registered nationwide. In the second half of 2022, on the other hand, there were only 392 cases.

The gains in the governing parties of the traffic light coalition are particularly striking. The number of attacks on Green politicians rose from 75 in the second half of last year to 301 in the first half of 2023. In the case of the SPD, the number went up from 95 to 153, while in the case of the FDP there was a fourfold increase to 80 cases. Often it remained insults and threats.

A study by the Heinrich Böll Foundation last year had already come to the conclusion that the number of hostilities and attacks has increased, especially in local politics.

fek/dpa