FC Bundestag faces inclusion crisis over AfD players

A Berlin court has ordered the German parliament's football team, FC Bundestag, to lift its ban on members of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). This ruling has created a crisis for the team, which has stated it already has enough right-wing lawmakers. The AfD recently secured a significant second-place finish in federal elections. Malte Kaufmann, an AfD member, argues that the party deserves representation, including on the football team. He sees the court's ruling as a matter of democracy and opposition rights. FC Bundestag was formed in 1967 and is known for promoting cross-party cooperation among lawmakers. The team has included many prominent political figures over the years. However, many current members are opposed to including AfD players due to the party's extremist views and actions. Green lawmaker Kassem Taher Saleh expressed strong opposition to the idea of sharing the locker room with AfD members, referring to them as "Nazis" and "racists." This sentiment reflects the concerns of many team members, who feel that the AfD represents values harmful to democracy. Last year, the team decided to ban the AfD entirely after revelations about the party's extreme positions, which included discussions of mass deportations. This decision was welcomed by most members. However, the AfD challenged the ban in court, leading to the recent ruling that said the team must allow all current and former members of parliament to join. FC Bundestag now faces a dilemma. They can either allow AfD members to play or change their membership statutes, which would require a significant vote from the team. The debate highlights the larger issue in Germany about how to engage with a party some view as a threat to democracy. The main political parties in Germany continue to refuse cooperation with the AfD, viewing it as a danger to democratic values. However, there are concerns that allowing the AfD into public spaces, like sports teams, could help normalize the party's extremist views. Political analysts warn that this issue reflects broader tensions within German politics regarding the rising influence of the AfD.