The European Parliament passes a resolution concerning the circumstances in the remnants of the Yugoslav federation.
In a significant development, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz) in Brandenburg has classified the regional branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a "confirmed far-right extremist" organization. This classification follows extensive evidence of the party's anti-democratic, xenophobic, and racist activities that threaten the free democratic constitutional order of Germany.
The key justifications for this classification include advocacy for the exclusion of non-"German mainstream" people, anti-democratic behavior, increased radicalization and intensification of right-wing extremist contacts, use of apocalyptic and fear-mongering rhetoric, and the creation of a "fan culture" among supporters.
Leading AfD members in Brandenburg, including Hans-Christoph Berndt, René Springer, and Dennis Hohloh, have made statements advocating for the removal of foreigners from Germany. The party's analysis has concluded that its statements regarding immigration and integration have become increasingly negative, with a focus on "integration-resistant people from cultures portrayed as incompatible with German or European culture."
A 142-page paper, allegedly containing quotes from leading AfD politicians, has been leaked online. The origin of the leaked document is unclear, but it is possible it was leaked from the Ministry of the Interior. The AfD is currently checking whether the version of the leaked document published by Nius matches that transmitted to it by the Ministry of the Interior as part of its lawsuit.
The AfD has accused the leak of being a form of "political persecution of the opposition." State chairman Springer has called for Interior Minister René Wilke to fully publish the documents related to the AfD's classification, accusing him of political persecution of the opposition. Wilke plans to officially present the documents related to the AfD's classification in the near future.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution accuses the AfD of adopting established narratives from the "far-right extremist milieu", including those of the "Great Replacement" or "ethnic transformation". The leaked document suggests that the state association of AfD has undergone a process of "successive, systematic radicalization" since being classified as a suspected case of far-right extremism in 2020.
This decision aligns with similar classifications made for AfD branches in other eastern German states such as Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, reflecting a broader federal effort to address far-right extremism within the party. AfD leaders reject the classification as politically motivated and deny extremist intent, claiming persecution for exercising freedom of speech.
- What is the AfD suspecting about the recent leak of a 142-page document containing quotes from leading AfD politicians? They believe it's a form of "political persecution of the opposition."
- In response to the classification of the AfD by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a "confirmed far-right extremist" organization, State chairman René Springer has accused Interior Minister René Wilke of political persecution of the opposition, urging him to fully publish the documents related to the AfD's classification.
