Temp Halt on AfD Labeling: BfV Staying Mum on 'Securely Extreme-Right' Tag
Right-wing extremists' shielded constitutional privileges under scrutiny
Toss aside the formalities, folks! Here's the lowdown: Germany's domestic intel agency, the BfV, has put a lid on publicly calling the Alternative for Germany (AfD) a 'securely extreme-right' bunch. This decision comes after a legal tussle initiated by the AfD. The legal stoush could drag on.
The BfV received a 'standstill undertaking' from the administrative court in Cologne, forcing 'em to hold their horses on slapping the 'securely extreme' tag on the AfD until a court ruling on an interim injunction is made. A spokesperson from the Cologne court confirmed the receipt of a letter from the BfV, and the latter kept mum on the matter, given the ongoing proceedings and court's stature.
Remember, the BfV did this shindig before, back in 2021, after the AfD took them to court over their earlier classification as a 'suspicious case.' The party's lawsuit met defeat twice, but the ultimate verdict from the Higher Administrative Court of Münster is still pending.
Politics Uncensored
"Spiegel" Dished on 1108 Pages: AfD's Report by the BfV, Unveiled
The 'standstill undertaking' doesn't just apply to blabbermouthing in public. It means the BfV can't brandish the 'securely extreme' label on the AfD until the court knocks out a verdict. However, observations as a 'suspicious case' - a level that necessitates stricter testimonials from intel services - continues.
After years of the BfV's scrutiny, they dropped a reassessment on the AfD on a Friday, explaining the ' extremist, dehumanizing overall party profile' as the reason for the 'securely extreme' tag. Before this, the AfD had only been tagged as a 'suspicious case.'
The AfD is giving it back legally, aiming to block the BfV from tagging them. The Cologne court, home to the BfV, is in charge, as they were the ones who gave the go-ahead to classify the AfD as a 'suspicious case' in 2022, deeming it lawful.
Sources: ntv.de, sba/dpa
Psst, here's some extra doss on the story:
- The BfV's temporary suspension of labeling the far-right AfD as a 'right-wing extremist' organization followed a court order by the Cologne court, as the AfD challenged the classification.
- The BfV accused the AfD of propagating xenophobic, Islamophobic, and anti-minority ideologies. Key figures like Björn Höcke have been fined for using Nazi slogans.
- The AfD argued that the 'extremist' label infringes on democratic competition and their constitutional rights under Article 21 of Germany's Basic Law.
- The current status implies that the BfV will not publicize the AfD as a 'right-wing extremist' organization and keep the related press release off its website until the court's verdict. This lessens the security agency's powers in monitoring the party, such as recruiting informants and intercepting communications.
- The BfV made this move without acknowledging any legal liability, pending the final court ruling.
In short, the BfV's 'extremist' tag for the AfD has been halted by a court order while their legal appeal is being resolved. This development marks a significant shift in the ongoing dispute over the political and legal standing of the AfD in Germany.
- The administrative court in Cologne has issued a 'standstill undertaking' to Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, preventing them from labeling the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as 'securely extreme-right' until a court ruling on an interim injunction is made.
- The BfV's inability to label the AfD as 'securely extreme' extends to public statements and official documents, such as press releases.
- This ongoing legal tussle between the AfD and the BfV concerning the latter's 'securely extreme' tag for the party has roots in 2021, when the AfD sued the BfV over their earlier classification as a 'suspicious case.'
- The BfV's classification of the AfD as a 'suspicious case' requires stricter testimonials from intelligence services, which continues regardless of the 'securely extreme' tag status.
