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Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) on Tuesday announced that it had classified the regional association of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the state of Saxony-Anhalt as a proven extremist group.
The AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is the second state association of the party to be categorized in this way.
What we know so far
The agency said it had assessed numerous statements from functionaries and elected officials of the far-right party, as anti-Muslim, antisemitic, and racist before making the assessment.
The AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt branch has been under formal suspicion of far-right extremism since 2021.
BfV head Jochen Hollmann said his organization had now gathered extensive information that showed the association’s values were incompatible with human dignity, democracy, and the rule of law.
“The regional association not only continues to hold anti-constitutional positions that led to its classification as a suspected case, but has also become radicalized to such an extent since the coronavirus pandemic that systematic observation using intelligence service means is justified.”
The designation gives the BfV more options when it comes to broader options and greater authority when it comes to surveillance of the party at the state level.
In March 2021, the regional party in the neighboring state of Thuringia was designated a far-right extremist group, along with its notorious firebrand leader Björn Höcke.
At the national level, the BfV classifies the AfD as being suspected of far-right extremism although the youth wing, Young Alternative for Germany, is classified as extremist.
rc/jcg (AFP, dpa, Reuters, epd)
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