Germany’s far-right AfD party files lawsuit against spy agency

BERLIN

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Monday filed a lawsuit against the country's domestic intelligence agency, BfV, after it designated the party as a “proven extremist group.”

According to the German press agency DPA, the party filed both a lawsuit and an emergency petition with the Administrative Court in Cologne, where the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has its headquarters.

On Friday, the BfV announced that it has classified the AfD as a “proven extremist group” following a three-year investigation. The investigation determined that the AfD promotes a far-right nationalist and extremist agenda threatening Germany's democratic constitutional order, according to the agency.

The agency emphasized that the AfD's view of people “based on ethnicity and ancestry” conflicts with Germany's democratic principles. The BfV also stated that the AfD attempts to exclude certain population groups, especially those with Muslim migration backgrounds, from equal participation in society.

The AfD, known for its anti-immigration stance, was first placed under preliminary observation in 2019. German courts later upheld their 2021 classification as a “suspected extremist group.” The recent BfV decision extends the “proven extremist” designation—previously applied only to regional AfD branches in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt—to the entire party. This classification enables increased surveillance of the party.

The BfV's decision came amid growing concerns about right-wing extremism in Germany and the AfD's increasing popularity. A new poll released on Monday revealed the AfD garnering 25% support, equal to Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU alliance. The far-right party led the Social Democratic Party by 10 percentage points, with the latter polling at 15%.

The AfD has built its support base through anti-migration campaigns and by stoking fears about Muslims and immigrants. The party has also capitalized on widespread frustration with traditional political parties and concerns about economic decline.