Parliament in Europe passes resolution concerning the state in the ex-Yugoslavia territories.
In a significant development, Brandenburg's domestic intelligence agency has officially classified the regional branch of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" organization. This classification, based on a comprehensive 140-page report, highlights the party's anti-democratic actions, racism, and xenophobia.
The report, published by the online portal Nius, details the AfD Brandenburg branch's highly xenophobic and partly racist stance, promoting an ethnocultural definition of the German people that discriminates against immigrants and Muslims. Party officials have made statements considered as an "immediate declaration of war against democracy" and the free democratic constitutional order.
The report also highlights the cultivation and maintenance of contacts with right-wing extremist organizations since 2020. The AfD is accused of deliberately using apocalyptic scenarios on migration to incite fear and societal division. This classification allows enhanced intelligence monitoring and forms the legal basis for potential future actions such as banning the party's branch.
Brandenburg’s Interior Minister René Wilke has emphasized a commitment to counter the AfD's anti-constitutional goals, noting that if the party continues radicalization, a ban could eventually be pursued.
AfD leaders, including Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, have rejected the classification as politically motivated and an attack on freedom of speech and democratic participation, framing it as government-led discrediting and persecution of the party. The AfD has filed lawsuits against the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), claiming a violation of constitutional rights by the surveillance and classification.
The implications for the future include increased monitoring and potential restrictions on AfD activities, possibly affecting public funding and membership employment in certain public roles. The classification and public polling indicate growing opposition in Germany, with nearly half of surveyed citizens favoring a ban on AfD, strengthening the legal and political grounds for possible prohibition.
Other federal states have already classified AfD branches similarly, suggesting a nationwide trend toward stricter scrutiny and containment of the party due to its extremist tendencies. This development marks a significant escalation in German authorities' approach to the AfD, reinforcing ongoing debates about the party’s role and legality within Germany’s democratic framework.
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