In an alarming display of ideological instrumentalization of state institutions, the Bundestag’s police commissioner, Social Democrat Uli Grötsch, has openly called for the expulsion of all police officers who are members of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the country’s number one opposition party. The proposal has ignited a political storm, as it signals an unprecedented political purge within one of the pillars of the state: law enforcement agencies.
Grötsch himself, a former border police officer who never rose above mid-level rank, has assumed his role not as a defender of law enforcement personnel but rather as a political commissar of a government seeking to impose a single ideology. His appointment, created by the “traffic light” coalition government (SPD-Greens-FDP) in 2024, came with a hefty salary of €13,000 per month and a custom-designed salary grade upgrade.
Grötsch’s statements this week leave no room for doubt. First, he demanded the expulsion of all AfD members from the police. A day later, he called for the end of the recently reintroduced border controls, citing alleged legal uncertainties that neither police unions nor the Interior Ministry recognizes as valid.
The intention is clear: dismantling internal migration control mechanisms while purging the police of elements unaligned with the government’s official ideology. CSU spokesman Alexander Dobrindt reacted sharply: “Consequences for civil servants must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. No one can be excluded for their political affiliation as long as they remain within the constitutional framework.”
Police unions denounce illegalities and arbitrary measures
The Deutsche Polizeigewerkschaft (DPolG), one of the central police unions, has directly accused Grötsch of suggesting illegal police actions and stoking legal uncertainty through irresponsible statements. In a letter from the union’s vice president, Manuel Ostermann, he reminded Grötsch that border controls are fully sanctioned under national law and ministerial directives.
But the criticism goes beyond his remarks. The very existence of Grötsch’s position has been challenged before the Constitutional Court. In 2023, the union’s vice president, Heiko Teggatz, filed a complaint in Karlsruhe, arguing that the position violates the principle of separation of powers. In his view, the role of the Bundestag police commissioner is unconstitutional, as it is not provided for in Germany’s Basic Law and enables the executive branch to exert political influence over police forces.
