Right-wing extremist party AfD labeled as such: Green party leader advocates for a ban
In a significant move, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in Baden-Württemberg, along with other German federal states, has classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a securely right-wing extremist organization. This classification follows extensive intelligence reports detailing the party's anti-democratic, racist, and xenophobic activities and ideology.
The classification applies to the party as a whole, not just specific state associations. This marks a shift from previous classifications that only applied to the state associations of Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt.
The AfD has been found to advocate for an ethnocultural concept of the German people that excludes and discriminates against immigrants, Muslims, and those "not belonging to the German mainstream," promoting racism and xenophobia. The party also maintains and cultivates contacts with right-wing extremist organizations, and violates fundamental democratic principles and the rule of law.
Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister, Thomas Strobl (CDU), has stated that the AfD's appearance of civility has been exposed. He emphasizes the need for continuous political confrontation with the AfD in Baden-Württemberg. The Baden-Württemberg Green Party state chairman, Pascal Haggenmüller, has called for a ban on the AfD, believing it is important for democracy to show strength and take action against the party.
The classification allows intelligence agencies greater powers to monitor the AfD in depth and serves as a basis for potential further actions, including possible restrictions or halting of public funding for the party, consideration of bans or exclusion of AfD members from civil servant roles, and enhanced surveillance to counteract the party's anti-constitutional activities.
AfD leaders reject the classification as politically motivated persecution, claiming their views are legitimate free speech and criticism of immigration policies. Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledges the detailed evidence provided by BfV but has urged caution before moving toward banning the party.
The implications are significant, as the AfD is the second-largest party in Germany and has grown stronger in eastern states. The classification signals the government’s firm stance against right-wing extremism amid rising far-right extremism and violence in Germany. The move to designate AfD as securely right-wing extremist reflects both the threat perceived from the party's agenda and a legal framework for countermeasures to protect Germany's democratic order.
Sources: dpa/lsw
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- The classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a securely right-wing extremist organization by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) is a policy-and-legislation decision with important implications for German politics and general news.
- The continued political confrontation with the AfD, as emphasized by Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl, is a significant part of the policy-and-legislation approach to counteract the party's anti-democratic, racist, and xenophobic activities and ideology.
