A first attempt to retire the former AfD MP Malsack-Winkemann fails. But the raid on “Reich citizens” changes the situation: Berlin wants to use all instruments to “remove” them from the judiciary.
Disciplinary proceedings are underway against the judge and former AfD member of the Bundestag Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who was arrested in the course of the anti-terror campaign against the Reichsbürger scene. The Berlin Regional Court initiated this, said Justice Senator Lena Kreck from the left RBB Inforadio. The court had previously announced that the 58-year-old had left civil chamber 19a, which is responsible for construction matters.
It will now be “physically difficult” for the judge to pursue her profession, said Senator Kreck. She repeated that the Senate administration would use all instruments to “remove” the accused completely from the judiciary. According to Kreck, appropriate steps have been taken.
An appeal was lodged with the service court at the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court (OVG) against a decision by the Berlin Administrative Court. In October, the latter refused to retire Malsack-Winkemann because of her political speeches about refugees in the Bundestag and other statements.
As a former member of parliament, the AfD politician had access to the buildings of the Bundestag, as did all retired parliamentarians who wished to do so. She is a member of the Federal Arbitration Court of the AfD as an assessor. The arrest has “no automatic effect on party offices,” said party deputy Stephan Brandner when asked.
The lawyer had made statements that endangered democracy, Kreck said. Therefore, even before their arrest, she had the opinion that the native of Darmstadt was a “highly dangerous person”. “I only found out how dangerous this woman seems to be yesterday morning,” Kreck told RBB. She was not informed about the investigation in advance. The senator was confident that Malsack-Winkemann would no longer be able to work as a judge in the future.
According to its spokesman, the Senate Department of Justice now has four weeks to justify the appeal in writing. The new findings should then also flow into these. There is also the possibility that the Senate administration will take over the disciplinary proceedings against the judge.
Malsack-Winkemann was arrested on Wednesday as part of the anti-terror campaign against the Reich Citizens’ Scene. According to the federal prosecutor, she is in custody. She was one of the 19 suspects against whom the arrest warrants were issued by Wednesday evening.
