BERLIN 

Nearly half of Germans support banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party following its designation as an “extremist” group by the nation's domestic intelligence agency, according to a recent poll.

The survey, conducted by the Insa polling institute for the German weekly Bild am Sonntag, found that 48% of respondents favor banning the AfD. The poll, which surveyed 1,001 people between May 2-3, also revealed that 37% oppose a ban, and 15% are undecided.

The poll also showed that 61% of Germans consider the AfD “a right-wing extremist” party. For 79% of those surveyed, the intelligence agency's assessment did not change their existing perception of the party. Some 10% said they changed their view of the party after the intelligence agency's warning.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence agency, classified the AfD as a “proven extremist group” on Friday after a three-year investigation. The BfV's investigation concluded that the AfD pursues a far-right nationalist and extremist agenda that undermines Germany's democratic constitutional order.

The agency emphasized that the AfD's “predominant understanding of people based on ethnicity and ancestry” is incompatible with Germany's democratic principles. The BfV also accused the AfD of seeking to exclude certain population groups, particularly those with migration backgrounds from Muslim countries, from equal participation in society.

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

AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla denounced the BfV's decision, calling it a “severe blow to German democracy” and vowing a legal challenge. “The AfD will continue to defend itself legally against these democracy-endangering defamations,” they said in a joint statement.

The BfV's decision coincides with mounting concerns about right-wing extremism in Germany and the AfD's surging popularity. Recent polls show the party has reached an unprecedented 26% support, positioning it as Germany's leading party. 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 growing frustration and dissatisfaction with traditional political parties and anxieties about economic decline.

Amid intensified debate about banning the AfD, political parties are proceeding cautiously. Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday urged against rushing to ban the far-right AfD, pointing out that the Constitutional Court maintains strict standards for party ban cases. He emphasized that any petition would need thorough preparation, considering the court's previous rulings in similar matters.

In the past, several attempts to ban far-right parties in Germany failed due to legal controversies, insufficient evidence, or errors in case preparation. The Federal Constitutional Court rejected an application to ban the far-right NPD party in 2003 because several party officials called as witnesses were found to be informants of the domestic intelligence agency. A second attempt to outlaw the NPD failed in 2017 when federal judges determined the party lacked the capability to implement its anti-constitutional and anti-democratic agenda.