Andreas Bovenschulte rejects AfD's claim to national pride

Andreas Bovenschulte, the Mayor of Bremen and President of the Bundesrat, has rejected the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's claim to represent patriotism and national pride. Speaking on the occasion of German Unity Day, Bovenschulte described himself as a ‘constitutional patriot.’

He defined national pride as being proud of Germany's achievements in creating a modern nation rooted in human dignity, freedom, and democracy. He contrasted this with unreflective slogans, arguing that the reunification of Germany was achieved through these democratic values.

Bovenschulte criticized the AfD, stating the party does not stand for law and freedom. He accused the party of seeking to deprive people of their rights and failing to support free media, independent courts, or independent science. He also defended the ‘political firewall’ against the AfD, asserting that clear boundaries must be maintained against political forces that reject democracy and human dignity in favor of an ethnically homogeneous community.