Overview

• Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a 'proven extremist organization' as of May 2, 2025.
• The designation enables authorities to employ covert surveillance methods, including recruiting informants and intercepting communications, to monitor the party.
• The extremist label imposes legal and social constraints, including restrictions on civil service employment, potentially weakening the AfD's recruitment and public standing.
• This marks an escalation from the 2021 classification of the AfD as a 'suspected extremist' entity and follows prior designations of its youth wing and other factions as extremist.
• The move comes just months after the AfD secured second place in Germany's February 2025 federal election, highlighting its growing influence in national politics.