The German internal intelligence services classified on Friday to the Alternative party for Germany (AFD), which was second in the last legislative elections, as a “extremist of the right proven”, and the formation denounced a “hard blow for democracy.”
By classifying it as “extremist”, the authorities could submit the party to high surveillance.
AFD’s ideology, which “devalue entire groups of the population in Germany and attentive against their human dignity,” is not “compatible with the fundamental democratic order,” the Constitution protection office considered in a statement.
Shortly after, the leaders of the Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla formation denounced in a statement a “hard blow for German democracy”, and assured that the party “will continue to defend themselves legally against these dangerous defamations for democracy.”
In the legislative elections of February 23, AFD registered a historical advance and doubled its previous result, by gathering more than 20% of the votes.
Since then, the party, founded in 2013, even exceeded in some polls the democratians of the CDU, the conservative formation of Friedrich Merz, which will be invested chancellor next Tuesday.
The Constitution Protection Office did not specify what concrete consequences this qualification will have, but the measure gives the authorities important means of surveillance and control, including private communications.
The announcement could also reimprorate the debate on an eventual illegalization of formation.
German intelligence services had already classified as “extremist” the youth of AFD and several regional branches of the party, based in territories of the former Germany of the East.
In its statement, the office highlights the “globally hostile attitude towards migrants and Muslims” by the ultra -rightist party.
“Continuous agitation against refugees or migrants favors the spread and deepening of prejudices, resentment and fear of that group of people,” he says.
PYV/ILP/DSA/JVB/AVL
