Fri May 02 12:09:33 UTC 2025: ## German Intelligence Agency Labels Far-Right AfD Party as “Right-Wing Extremist”
**Berlin, May 2, 2025** – Germany’s domestic intelligence service, the BfV, has officially classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a “right-wing extremist effort.” This designation, announced Friday, follows the AfD’s strong second-place finish in February’s national elections and subjects the party to increased surveillance.
The BfV cited the AfD’s “extremist character” and its targeting of immigrants, particularly those from Muslim countries, as reasons for the classification. The agency highlighted the party’s efforts to undermine Germany’s democratic order and its promotion of xenophobic and anti-minority rhetoric. Over 10,000 of the 38,800 far-right extremists identified by the BfV last year are AfD members.
AfD deputy chairman Stephan Brandner dismissed the decision as “complete nonsense” and politically motivated. However, the classification allows the BfV to utilize a wider range of surveillance methods, including informants and audio-video recordings, nationwide. While the AfD has faced enhanced surveillance in certain regions previously, this marks a significant escalation.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser defended the decision, stating it stemmed from a thorough, 1,100-page review and insisted it was free from political influence. The increased surveillance will adhere to legal principles of proportionality, and the move does not constitute a ban on the party. Any such ban would require action from parliament or the federal government through the Federal Constitutional Court. The AfD’s executive board is expected to discuss a potential appeal next week.
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