In a landmark move, Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has officially designated the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a right-wing extremist organization at the national level. This follows a three-year expert review and a detailed 1,000-page assessment by public broadcaster ARD.
The classification ends the party's previous status as a 'suspicion case' federally, although several regional branches had already been listed as extremist. The BfV concluded that the AfD's ethnic-based definition of the people is incompatible with Germany's liberal democratic order.
AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla condemned the decision as a blow to democracy and vowed to challenge it in court, calling the move a 'democracy-endangering defamation.' Despite this controversy, recent opinion polls show the AfD leading national support, surpassing the conservative CDU/CSU bloc.
Political analysts say the BfV's decision could reshape Germany's political landscape, adding pressure on mainstream parties and fueling debates on freedom, extremism, and the health of Europe's largest economy. For young global citizens and tech-savvy voters, the development underscores the ongoing struggle to balance security and democratic values in a rapidly evolving political climate.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
