Germany launches attempt to ban country's only far-Right party And despite their occasional successes in economically-depressed eastern German states, the NPD is marginalised at a national level - winning only 1.5 per cent of the vote in the most recent federal elections in 2009; well below the 5 per cent needed to sit in Parliament. Even though talk of a ban has been simmering for years, it was not until the crimes of a murderous band of neo-Nazis calling itself the National Socialist Underground, or NSU, came to light that the calls became widespread. The NSU is suspected of killing nine men of immigrant background and a policewoman between 2000 and 2007 - operating under the radar of German authorities who blamed the killings on organised crime rather than racist violence. It was only discovered last year when the other main members, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boenhardt, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide after a bungled bank robbery. The third suspected member, Beate Zschaepe then turned herself in and has now been charged with the murders and other crimes. Even though there has been no formal link made between the NPD and the NSU, the case brought a new focus on the far-right in Germany. The arrest of the NPD's former spokesman in Thuringia, Ralf Wohlleben, in November 2011 on suspicion of aiding the NSU by providing the core group with a gun and ammunition helped reinforce the calls for a ban. He was charged last month with nine counts of accessory to murder. In order to avoid the problems of informants, officials say almost all of the information collected in the current investigation is of public record, including details from the NPD's own literature, internet postings, and documented criminal activities like the conviction in 2009 of an NPD politician for defacing a Holocaust memorial. A federal judge asked for a legal assessment of the case for a ban by the state of Lower Saxony reported back to authorities last week "an overall review shows the goals of the NPD to be incompatible with the liberal democratic order of the constitution," Der Spiegel magazine reported. He concluded a ban attempt would have a better than 50 per cent chance of success with the Federal Constitutional Court. NPD leader Holger Apfel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Saturday that he hoped the government would decide to pursue a ban so the party can challenge it. "We would welcome it if the application for a ban would finally be made," Apfel said. There's nothing worse than living perpetually under the Sword of Damocles of a ban. After the interior ministers make their recommendation, state governors are meeting in Berlin on Thursday and expected to follow suit. That paves the way for the Upper House of Parliament, where the states are represented, to vote for a ban when it meets on Dec 14, after which it is likely that the federal government will join the process as well, even though it is not necessary. Officials said a first court hearing was not likely before next spring and a decision from the court was unlikely before next September's federal elections. Apfel said even if the German high court decides on a ban, the NPD would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.