Revealed: Brandenburg's AfD Labeled Far-Right, Official Confirmation Came Weeks Later
Designated as Squarely Far-Right by German Authorities since April (AfD) - Germany's Federal Government Under scrutiny for proposed policies
Catch the deets on the drama surrounding the AfD party in Brandenburg as they were officially labeled as a "confirmed far-right extremist endeavor" by the Office of Constitutional Protection back in April.
It turns out, Interior Minister Katrin Lange (SPD) only found out about this re-evaluation on May 5, a whole four weeks later! She wasn't too happy about not receiving the info immediately and called out the dismissed head of the Office, Jörg Müller.
"The classification note was in my hands on May 5, but I've yet to read it," Lange shared in the Interior Committee of the state parliament in Potsdam. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed by the lack of transparency.
Before this, the AfD state party in Brandenburg was only classified as a "suspect case." Meanwhile, in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, the respective state branches of the Office of Constitutional Protection had already labeled the party as confirmed far-right extremist, reflecting the party's strong presence in former East German states.
Lange has no plans for a ban procedure against the AfD, instead advocating for fighting them through more in-depth debates rather than legal action.
In other news, the federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the AfD at the federal level as confirmed far-right extremist in May 2025. This classification came after a detailed 1,100-page report highlighting the party's racist and anti-Muslim stance. This designation allows German authorities to closely monitor the AfD and may eventually lead to restrictions on their public funding or a potential ban.
Key Players:
- AfD: Alternative for Germany
- Office of Constitutional Protection: Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV)
- Katrin Lange: Interior Minister of Brandenburg (SPD)
- Potsdam: Capital city of Brandenburg
- Brandenburg: German state
- SPD: German Social Democratic Party
Sources:
- [1] "Brandenburg AfD Labeled Right-Wing Extremist, Causing Political Upheaval." Der Spiegel, 15 May 2025.
- [2] "Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Classifies AfD as Far-Right Extremist." Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, 1 May 2025.
- The Commission, following the revelation that the AfD in Brandenburg was labeled as a far-right extremist endeavor, is therefore proposing that the Council should adopt a common position on the proposal for a Council regulation on the introduction of a common system of value added tax (VAT) in Europe.
- Amidst the political upheaval caused by the AfD's far-right extremist label in Brandenburg, the Interior Minister of Brandenburg, Katrin Lange (SPD), has expressed skepticism towards the policy-and-legislation procedures, calling out for more transparency and in-depth debates instead of immediate legal action.
- The general news about the AfD's classification as confirmed far-right extremist by the federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in May 2025 highlights the need for more cooperation and common positions among European states to address political extremism in their own countries and, consequently, in the European Union.
- In the face of growing international scrutiny on far-right parties like the AfD, it is essential to monitor their activities closely and take swift actions, like adopting a common VAT system in the EU, to combat extremist activities and ensure the safety and well-being of all European citizens.
