Analysis: Marking the AfD party as a high-level group in internet networks
The Brandenburg state branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is in the spotlight once again, following the public release of a 142-page report classifying the party as a confirmed far-right extremist. The report, initially made available online via the "Nius" portal, allegedly contains substantial evidence supporting this classification.
The document, which is the same one that led to the AfD's classification in May, has sparked a debate about the party's standing in Brandenburg. The dispute between the AfD and the Interior Ministry follows the AfD's classification as a confirmed far-right extremist.
According to the report, the AfD Brandenburg advocates an ethnocultural concept of the German people that excludes and discriminates against immigrants and Muslims. The party is described as highly xenophobic and partly racist, promoting discrimination and exclusion of those who do not "belong to the German mainstream."
The report also reveals serious statements by AfD officials that directly attack democracy and the free democratic constitutional order. Key party representatives question the legitimacy of constitutional procedures and decisions in ways designed to undermine the German political system.
Significant and increasing violations of the principles of democracy and the rule of law by the party have been documented, with these violations growing in frequency particularly since 2020. The report also notes that the Brandenburg AfD branch has cultivated, maintained, and intensified contacts with right-wing extremist organizations and networks, reinforcing its extremist stance.
In the political debate on migration, the party deliberately uses apocalyptic and fear-mongering narratives to stoke societal tensions and promote a hostile environment toward immigrants. The AfD's actions are assessed as pursuing a path to undermine the democratic state and its institutions.
Brandenburg’s domestic intelligence chief Wilfried Peters and Interior Minister René Wilke stressed these points during the report presentation, emphasizing the party's systemic xenophobia, racist elements, anti-constitutional goals, and threat to democratic order. This evidence collectively justified the official classification of the AfD Brandenburg as a confirmed far-right extremist group.
The AfD is currently checking if the published version of the report matches the one they received from the Interior Ministry. The party wants the classification to be withdrawn, claiming it has been defamed. However, the report's public availability has not yet resulted in any official comment from the AfD or the Interior Minister.
At a press conference scheduled for Thursday, the constitutional protection office will make the document and the reasons for the party's classification public. The Interior Ministry in Potsdam declined to comment on the report and referred to this press conference. The AfD plans to make a statement on Thursday as well.
[1] Brandenburg constitutional protection office report (publicly accessible online) [2] The Guardian, "Germany's AfD branded far-right extremist by Brandenburg state intelligence agency," 10 November 2023 [3] Deutsche Welle, "Brandenburg intelligence agency classifies AfD as far-right extremist," 10 November 2023
- The ongoing debate in Brandenburg's politics revolves around the policy-and-legislation classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a confirmed far-right extremist, as detailed in the general-news report released by the Brandenburg constitutional protection office.
- The report alleges that the AfD brand in Brandenburg is deeply rooted in xenophobia, promoting discrimination, and exhibiting anti-constitutional goals, casting serious doubts on their adherence to democratic principles and the rule of law.
