Overview

• The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) officially labeled the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as extremist, citing its ethnicity-based ideology and discriminatory rhetoric.
• This classification grants authorities enhanced surveillance powers, including the ability to recruit informants and intercept communications.
• The BfV stated that the AfD's exclusionary views devalue certain population groups, particularly those with immigrant and Muslim backgrounds, violating constitutional principles.
• AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla criticized the move as politically motivated and vowed to challenge it legally.
• The designation comes as recent polls show the AfD gaining popularity, even surpassing the CDU/CSU bloc in some surveys, raising concerns about its growing influence.