Germany’s intel service lists AfD as ‘right-wing extremist’ party

The German domestic intelligence service says it has classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which placed second in national elections in February, as a “right-wing extremist effort” — making it subject to greater and broader surveillance of its activities.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution cites the “extremist character” of the party, and says it “disregards human dignity” — in particular by taking aim at those who have moved to Germany from mostly Muslim countries.

The party criticizes the move, with deputy chairman Stephan Brandner saying that it “is complete nonsense, has absolutely nothing to do with law and order, and is purely political in the fight of the cartel parties against the AfD.”

The AfD has already been under enhanced surveillance by authorities in some regions, but the announcement by the domestic spy agency means the agency’s officials can use informants and other tools such as audio and video recordings to monitor the party’s activities nationwide.

The office, which has warned of growing extremism in Germany, cites court decisions in two German regions in recent years that detailed party efforts to undermine a free and democratic order.

The party “aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society, to subject them to unconstitutional unequal treatment and thus to assign them a legally devalued status,” the agency, known as BfV, says.

The party had already come under scrutiny from the BfV for its links to extremists and its ties to Russia. Of the 38,800 far-right extremists counted by the agency last year, more than 10,000 are members of the party.

Nancy Faeser, the interior minister, says in a statement that the classification is “clear and unambiguous” and resulted from a 1,100-page “comprehensive and neutral audit” that had no political influence.

Under the move, any surveillance of AfD activities must abide by a “principle of proportionality” under German law.

The measure does not amount to a ban of the party, which can only take place through a request by either of parliament’s two chambers or the federal government through the Federal Constitutional Court.