The German political Alternative for Germany (AFD) party has been classified as “right wing extremist” by the domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV).
The AFD came second in the federal elections in February and it has been suggested by the BfV labelling the group extremist, the agency will be able to monitor the political party more easily using secretive methods.
The domestic intelligence agency said in a statement, “The ethnicity – and ancestry-based conception of the people that predominates within the party is not compatible with the free democratic order.
“It aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society, to subject them to treatment that violates the constitution, and thereby assign them a legally subordinate status.”
A regional lawmaker from the AfD said this is “politically questionable.”
“It is sad to see the state of democracy in our country when the old parties are now even using the most politically questionable means against the strongest opposition party,” said Anton Baron, a lawmaker in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
The party gained an ally in SpaceX CEO Elon Musk who said, “It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.”
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, “The AfD represents an ethnic concept that discriminates against entire population groups and treats citizens with a history of migration as second-class Germans.
“Their ethnic attitude is reflected in racist statements, especially against immigrants and Muslims.”
