German regions urge ban on far-right NPD

NPD supporters rallied near the building where the ministers met

Interior ministers from Germany's 16 regions have decided unanimously to call for a ban on a far-right party despite fears such a step may backfire.

At a meeting in the northern city of Rostock, they called for the National Democratic Party (NPD) to be outlawed.

Germany's federal Interior Minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, accepted there was a "political risk".

Ralf Jaeger, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, accused the NPD of stoking xenophobia.

"The NPD prepares the ground for far-right violence and stokes xenophobia," he said.

"Their ideology disregards basic human rights and is anti-democratic."

The ministers will discuss the issue with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday.

It will be up to the Federal Constitutional Court to enact an actual ban.

A small group of NPD supporters rallied near the meeting venue on Wednesday.