Overview
- Police union chief Jochen Kopelke condemned the AfD’s attacks as targeted and dehumanizing efforts to undermine the Verfassungsschutz and intimidate its staff.
- AfD leader Alice Weidel called Verfassungsschutz employees “schmierige Stasi-Spitzel” on a Welt TV program and later alleged on X that the agency spies on and persecutes the opposition.
- Thuringia’s domestic intelligence president Stephan Kramer rejected the Stasi comparison and said the service protects the constitutional order using lawful means.
- In May, Thuringia AfD leader Björn Höcke urged Verfassungsschutz employees to find new jobs and warned “Mitgehangen – mitgefangen” in a post that was later removed.
- The federal Verfassungsschutz upgraded the AfD’s national association to a confirmed right‑wing extremist endeavor but suspended enforcement during litigation, while several eastern state branches are already classified as firmly extremist.