Thuringia parliament holds first-ever hearing on banning AfD

Thuringia's state parliament held its first hearing on whether to ban the far-right AfD, with legal experts arguing the party has radicalized to a nationalist tradition and may soon be too dangerous to tolerate, while AfD lawyers dismiss the effort as a political witch hunt. The hearing is a first in any German parliament and signals a potential escalation in efforts to curb the party, though no formal ban motion has been tabled. The outcome is uncertain and could set a precedent for other states.