Germany Considers Dropping Controversial Extremism Category

The Verfassungsschutz debates the future of a classification introduced during the pandemic to address hard-to-define extremist threats.

The category 'Verfassungsschutzrelevante Delegitimierung des Staates,' created in 2021, is under review by federal and state intelligence agencies in Germany.
Originally introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the category aimed to monitor actors who undermine democratic institutions but do not fit into traditional extremism categories like right-wing or Islamist extremism.
Critics, including some state interior ministers, argue that most individuals in this category could already be classified under existing categories, such as right-wing extremism or the 'Reichsbürger' movement.
Supporters of the category believe it is necessary to track smaller groups fostering distrust in state institutions and exploiting crises for anti-democratic purposes.
The 2024 Verfassungsschutz report, not yet published, is expected to still use this classification while discussions about its long-term future continue.