German authorities address Senate member Rubio's criticism towards the AfD party
Rewritten Article:
Title: German Ministry Claps Back at Rubio over 'Right-Wing Extremist' AfD Classification
In a heated exchange, the German Foreign Ministry has publicly rebuked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for criticizing the classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a "right-wing extremist" organization.
This conflict intensified over the weekend, involving not only Rubio, but also US Vice President J.D. Vance, tech titan Elon Musk, and even a touch of Cold War nostalgia. This unfolded at a sensitive juncture for Germany, shortly before the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
Adding another layer to the mix, a coalition agreement between the center-right and center-left parties was recently approved, and next week, the German parliament will vote to select conservative leader Friedrich Merz as the country's new chancellor.
Merz has yet to comment publicly on the intelligence service's decision.
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, expressed concerns about the AfD's ties to Russia in response to the classification. The AfD is known for its Russia-friendly positions and opposes Germany's stance towards the war in Ukraine. Berlin is Ukraine's second-biggest arms supplier, trailing only the US.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution deemed the party a threat to the country's democratic order, stating that the AfD consistently disregards human dignity, particularly through persistent provocations against refugees and migrants.
With this decision, AfD officials can now be monitored nationwide using informants and tools like audio and video recordings. However, this move could also fuel the party's claims of persecution, as far-right parties are gaining traction across Europe, with the AfD attracting international attention, including support from Musk, an ally of US President Donald Trump.
In a post on Friday, Rubio urged Germany to overturn the classification.
"Germany just empowered its spy agency to scrutinize its opposition. That's not democracy – it's camouflaged tyranny," Rubio wrote. "What genuinely transgresses boundaries is not the popular AfD – which placed second in the recent election – but rather the establishment's lethal open-border immigration policies that the AfD opposes. Germany should reconsider its decision."
The foreign ministry responded with a post directly addressed to Rubio: "This is democracy," it said.
"This decision was the culmination of a meticulous and independent investigation to protect our Constitution and the rule of law," the foreign office wrote late on Friday. "It is the independent courts that will ultimately decide. History teaches us that we must prevent right-wing extremism."
Vance referenced the Cold War in his post on X.
"The AfD is the most popular party in Germany and the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats are trying to dismantle it," Vance wrote. "The Berlin Wall was torn down together. And it was rebuilt – not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment."
Musk, who owns X, shared Vance's comments, adding, "Fate has a peculiar sense of humor."
[1] - https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/afd-ist-rechtsterroristische-organisation-sagt-bv-a-1863697.html
[2] - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/02/german-government-designates-alternative-for-germany-afd-as-right-wing-extremist-party
Enrichment Data:
- Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) officially classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a "proven right-wing extremist organization" on May 2, 2025, upgrading its previous designation from mere suspicion to confirmed anti-constitutional activity. This decision enables enhanced surveillance measures and revives debates about a potential party ban.
- The AfD secured 20.8% of the vote in the 2025 federal election, becoming Germany’s second-largest party. Its support remains strongest in eastern states like Saxony and Thuringia.
- A May 4, 2025, Insa poll showed 48% of Germans support banning the party, while 61% view it as an explicitly extremist organization.
- The German Foreign Ministry opposed Senator Rubio's criticism of classifying the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a right-wing extremist organization, a decision made by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
- Conservatives, including Friedrich Merz who is set to become Germany's new chancellor next week, have yet to publicly comment on the intelligence service's decision regarding the AfD.
- Ukraine's ambassador Oleksii Makeiev expressed concerns about the AfD's ties to Russia, with the AfD known for its Russia-friendly positions and its opposition to Germany's stance towards the war in Ukraine.
- The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution designated the AfD as a proven right-wing extremist organization, a move that allows for enhanced surveillance measures and could potentially lead to a party ban.
- In response to the AfD's classification, Senator Rubio strongly urged Germany to overturn the decision, citing concerns about democracy and the threats posed by the broad immigration policies that the AfD opposes.
