In a significant development, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, BfV, has officially classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a right-wing extremist group. This designation grants authorities enhanced powers to monitor the party and has sparked renewed discussions regarding its potential ban.
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The move follows the AfD’s notable performance in national elections in February, where they secured second place, as well as a series of local electoral victories, particularly in the former East Germany. The BfV, which had previously labeled several local chapters of the AfD as extremist, expanded this classification to the entire party. The agency cited the AfD’s efforts to “undermine the free, democratic order” of Germany, particularly pointing to “xenophobic, anti-minority, Islamophobic, and anti-Muslim statements made by leading party officials.”
The AfD, determined to challenge this designation, has announced plans to pursue legal action. Co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla described the ruling as a “severe blow to German democracy,” asserting, “The AfD is being publicly discredited and criminalized shortly before a shift in government.” Their statement emphasized a commitment to legally defend against what they term “defamatory statements that endanger democracy.”
This designation has reignited demands for a ban on the AfD, escalating political tensions as conservative Friedrich Merz prepares to assume leadership of a coalition government with the center-left SPD next Tuesday. Ralf Stegner, a politician from the SPD, mentioned to Der Spiegel the necessity for “greater efforts to combat these enemies of democracy with all political and rule-of-law tools.”
In a stark rebuttal, Deputy AfD leader Stephan Brandner referred to the BfV’s classification as “complete nonsense,” arguing that it is “absolutely nothing to do with law and order, and is purely a political measure.” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser countered, asserting that there had been “no political influence” on the BfV’s inquiries, highlighting the agency’s claim that the AfD seeks to exclude certain population groups from participating equally in society.
The BfV’s report remarked that the AfD does not regard German citizens with migrant backgrounds from predominantly Muslim countries as “equal members” of the populace, underscoring the frequency of xenophobic and discriminatory rhetoric from key party figures.
The AfD, founded in 2013, has experienced fluctuating popularity but has gained traction recently by addressing public concerns about migration, especially at a time when Germany’s economy faces recession. In February, they garnered over 20% of the vote, trailing only the center-right CDU led by Friedrich Merz. More recent polls have indicated that the AfD is either tied with or slightly ahead of the CDU/CSU alliance.
Germany’s historical context complicates the political landscape, as mainstream parties have pledged to avoid collaboration with the AfD. Merz notably circumvented this unwritten “firewall” against the party when he relied on their support to push for stricter immigration policies during the election campaign, a decision that provoked widespread protests.
Despite this past reliance, Merz has since asserted he will not ally with the AfD, as he continues to form a coalition with the SPD. Remarkably, during the election campaign, the AfD received notable backing from Elon Musk, the US tech billionaire and close advisor to former President Donald Trump, who expressed that only the AfD could “save Germany” and appeared virtually at one of their rallies.
The AfD’s reputation is marred by frequent controversies involving accusations of utilizing banned Nazi slogans and minimizing Nazi atrocities. Additionally, the party has been criticized for its alleged affiliations with Russia, and only recently, a former aide to an AfD MEP was charged with spying on behalf of China.
In these turbulent times, the future of the AfD and its impact on German democracy remains a critical topic of debate.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
