Germany’s domestic intelligence service has designated the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a “right-wing extremist” group, with the incoming government considering a ban, and the United States expressing its displeasure.
The designation, made public by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution on Friday following an audit by the BfV security service, makes the party subject to surveillance.
It could also revive discussion over a potential ban for the AfD, which has surged in popularity in recent years and placed second in February’s general election.
Later Friday, the incoming German government said they are to review whether to launch an effort to ban the AfD party after it was classified as extremist.
Social Democrat leader Lars Klingbeil told the Bild newspaper, “The AfD is an attack on Germany,” Klingbeil, who is set to become finance minister in the next government, added, “They want a different country, they want to destroy our democracy. And we must take that very seriously.”
The BfV, which had already designated several local AfD chapters as extremist, said it decided to give the entire party the label due to its attempts to “undermine the free, democratic” order in Germany.
“This is evident in the numerous xenophobic, anti-minority, anti-Islamic, and anti-Muslim statements continually made by leading party officials,” it added.
US condemns ban as ‘tyranny in disguise’
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticised Germany’s decision to designate the AfD as an extremist group, urging authorities to reverse the move.
“Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy – it’s tyranny in disguise,” Rubio wrote on X, condemning the classification by the country.
“What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD – which took second in the recent election – but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes,” added Rubio.
Questions surround Rubio’s controversial remarks noted Al Jazeera’s senior correspondent Mike Hanna, reporting from the White House. “Was Rubio speaking as Secretary of State, as the National Security Advisor or giving his opinions in a personal capacity,” said Hanna.
“What we do not know is whether the president endorses Rubio’s statements,” added Hanna.
The remarks follow a pattern within US President Donald Trump’s administration, who align themselves with…