Germany has regularly banned political parties. Why is it condemning Turkey for doing the same? Mika Hackner Supporters of the Alternative for Germany party assemble in Berlin on May 27, 2018. (Michael Sohn/AP) Last month, the Turkish government sought to ban the People’s Democratic Party (HDP). Germany denounced the proposal. Turkey alleges that the party is affiliated with the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey, the United States and the European Union designate as a terrorist organization — although the HDP rejects the claim. Germany argues that parties should only be banned as a last resort, since democracy requires a vibrant opposition and a system in which all citizens’ opinions are represented.