German internal intelligence ranked, Friday, May 2, the entire alternative party for Germany (AFD), which arrived second in the last legislative elections, as a movement “Convenient right -wing extremist”which should allow an investment under intensive surveillance. Reacting to this qualification, the AFD denounced a “Hard blow for German democracy” and a decision “Politically motivated”. The party “Will continue to defend itself legally against these dangerous defamations for democracy”Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said party leaders in a statement.
AFD ideology, which “Devaluates whole groups of the population in Germany and undermines their human dignity”is not “Not compatible with the fundamental democratic order”estimates the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in a press release.
During the legislative elections of February 23, AFD led by Alice Weidel had made a historic breakthrough, doubling her previous score with more than 20 % of the votes.
Since then, the young party, founded in 2013, has even exceeded in certain polls the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Conservative Party of Friedrich Merz, who must be invested Chancellor on Tuesday.
“Propagation and deepening of prejudices”
The Constitution protection office does not immediately specify the concrete consequences of this classification, which could have major repercussions on German political life. This classification gives the authorities important means of surveillance and control, including private communications. Already brandished in recent months by certain political leaders, the debate on a possible ban on the party could be relaunched.
The German internal intelligence services had already classified the youth organization of the far-right party, as well as several regional branches of Länder of ex-German Germany, as “Extremists”.
In its press release on Friday, the office highlights in particular “The attitude generally hostile to migrants and Muslims of the party” in its entirety. “Continuous agitation against refugees or migrants promotes the spread and deepening of prejudices, resentments and fears towards this group of people”still estimates the intelligence service.