by Frank Bergman
A new bill in Germany is raising alarm after details emerged showing authorities could block property purchases, including home sales to ordinary buyers, if officials merely suspect the would-be purchaser holds vaguely defined “anti-constitutional” views.
The proposal, pushed by Construction Minister Verena Hubertz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), would give local authorities a right of first refusal in real estate transactions if they believe a buyer is tied to alleged extremist activity.
Critics warn that the measure opens the door to punishing citizens for their political beliefs without any criminal conviction.
Bill Would Expand State Power Over Property Purchases
According to the draft, municipalities would be allowed to step in and block a sale if they decide a prospective buyer strongly supports what the bill calls “anti-constitutional efforts.”
The proposal would also amend Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Act so the domestic intelligence agency could share personal data with local authorities reviewing buyers.
That agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, or BfV, has already drawn scrutiny for its surveillance of Alternative for Germany (AfD) figures in some states and for past scandals, including the creation of hundreds of fake right-wing extremist accounts.
The bill frames the crackdown as a way of “strengthening the orientation towards the common good” and preventing “social injustices.”
Its stated goal is to stop the “spatial impact of organized crime as well as right-wing, left-wing or religiously motivated extremist activities.”