Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), temporarily revoked its landmark decision to classify the national-oriented Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a “confirmed extremist organisation,” following an urgent legal challenge by the party.
The reversal, announced in a Cologne administrative court filing, downgrades the AfD’s status to a “suspected case”, a designation that permits surveillance but under tighter judicial scrutiny.
The abrupt U-turn comes just six days after the BfV declared it had compiled “definitive evidence” that the AfD seeks to undermine Germany’s democratic order, a historic move marking the first time a Bundestag-represented party faced such a label. The agency cited a 1,000-page dossier detailing alleged extremist activities, which would have authorised expanded monitoring tools.
However, it offered no rationale for suspending the classification pending court proceedings, leaving critics to decry the decision as politically charged.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla accused the outgoing government of orchestrating a “smear campaign” ahead of its transition, vowing to “keep fighting this in court.” The party, currently leading national polls at 22%, has long framed scrutiny of its anti-immigrant, eurosceptic platform as persecution.
The BfV’s retreat intensifies debate over whether Germany should pursue a formal ban on the AfD, a process requiring constitutional court approval. While the “suspected case” status still allows surveillance, it limits the scope compared to the revoked designation.
