In the shadow of the AfD: How German interior ministers fear the consensus trap

If the AfD wins an interior ministry position in an eastern German state this autumn, the decision-making power of Germany's interior ministers' conference could be at risk. Since the conference operates by unanimity, a single veto would be enough to block the entire country's domestic security policy. Behind the scenes, interior ministers are seeking solutions to prevent this scenario.

Germany's interior ministers' conference faces an uncomfortable question: what happens if the far-right AfD gains an interior ministry portfolio in an eastern German state this autumn? Since the conference operates on the principle of unanimity, a single veto from an AfD representative would give the party the power to block all of Germany's domestic security cooperation.

The unanimity trap

The problem is structural. The Interior Ministers' Conference (Innenministerkonferenz, IMK) is an important cooperation forum in German federalism where interior ministers from all 16 states agree on joint security and public order principles. So far it has functioned smoothly, as all parties have shared fundamental values. AfD representation in a state would fundamentally change the picture.

Journalists Gordon Repinski and Rasmus Buchsteiner have investigated how interior ministers are already discussing behind the scenes what changes to the conference's procedures would be needed to prevent a representative of a radical right-wing party from paralyzing the entire system. To date, no public solutions have been proposed.

North Rhine-Westphalia SPD candidate calls for flexibility

Meanwhile, Germany is engaged in ongoing debate over labor market reforms. The top SPD candidate in North Rhine-Westphalia, Jochen Ott, has called for a flexible working-age system in place of a fixed retirement age, which would allow people to end their working lives based on their individual situation rather than a uniform age limit.

The rise of the AfD in eastern Germany is a question of broader importance for Europe: it shows how the unanimity requirement in democratic institutions, which was created to ensure cooperation, can become a vulnerability when a system-critical party gains power.