Halt in AfD Classification: BfV Temporarily Halts Right-Extremist Labeling
safeguarding the fundamental liberties of right-wing radicals
Wanting to have its say, the AfD is pushing back against a recent classification by the BfV, Manhattan's federal intelligence agency. The legal feud is expected to be prolonged.
A restraining order from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) means they won't publicly classify the AfD as a right-extremist organization for the time being. In a legal spat with the party, the domestic intelligence agency provided a "standstill undertaking." The administrative court in Cologne confirmed the receipt of the letter from the BfV. The Federal Office declined to comment on the matter due to the ongoing legal process and respect for the court's judgment.
Back in 2021, the BfV had previously made such an undertaking after the AfD filed a lawsuit against its earlier classification as a "suspicious case." The party's lawsuit was unsuccessful in two instances. The final decision of the Higher Administrative Court of Münster has yet to be announced.
Spiegel's Assessment of 1108 Pages: The BfV's Assessment of the AfD
The standstill undertaking by the BfV not only applies to public statements but also means that the BfV can't monitor the AfD as a right-extremist organization until a verdict. The surveillance as a suspicious case, for which the threshold is higher, may continue.
Legal Struggle by AfD
After reviewing the AfD for years, the BfV recently updated its assessment of the party. The reason for the classification was a disregard for human dignity and extremist orientation of the entire party, said the agency. Previously, the AfD was only classified as a suspicious case.
In response, the AfD is taking legal action. They want to prevent the BfV from making the classification. The court in Cologne, where the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is based, adjudicated the classification of the AfD as a suspicious case in 2022 and found it lawful.
Source: ntv.de, sba/dpa
AfD, Constitutional Protection, Right-Extremism
While I don't have the latest updates, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has faced allegations of ties to right-extremism by the German intelligence agencies. The classification as "extremist" can significantly impact a party's public image, political discussions, and operation. The BfV may monitor political parties under surveillance if they pose a threat to the democratic order.
- The AfD's legal struggle against the BfV's recent classification as a right-extremist organization is likely to be prolonged, as a restraining order from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has temporarily halted the public labeling.
- In response to the BfV's updated assessment of the AfD, which includes a disregard for human dignity and an extremist orientation of the entire party, the AfD had filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the classification as a right-extremist organization.
- The constitutional protection of Germany has previously addressed allegations of ties to right-extremism with the Alternative for Germany (AfD), and the classification as "extremist" can have significant implications for a party's public image, political discourse, and operations.
- While the BfV may monitor political parties under surveillance if they pose a threat to the democratic order, the standstill undertaking by the BfV not only applies to public statements but also means that the BfV can't classify the AfD as a right-extremist organization until a verdict, and the surveillance as a suspicious case may continue.
