The German government has stepped up its efforts to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) with the cabinet approving a request to the courts to deregister the organisation.

The German government has stepped up its efforts to ban the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) with the cabinet approving a request to the courts to deregister the organisation. Contending that the NPD's actions and policies were racist, anti-democratic and therefore unconstitutional, the action on Wednesday sets in train a constitutional process that could take two years. Critics immediately questioned the effectiveness of any attempt to ban the party and suggested it might backfire. The request will now be voted on by both houses of federal parliament within the next few weeks and if approved, would then proceed to Germany's Constitutional Court in the western city of Karlsruhe.