AfD takes legal action against extremist label by German agency

• AfD lawsuit: Alternative for Germany (AfD) has filed a lawsuit against the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in the administrative court in Cologne.
• BfV classification: The BfV has classified AfD as an extremist organisation, which permits the use of covert methods to monitor its activities.
• Impact of the decision: This classification allows the authorities to use covert methods to monitor AfD’s activities, which could significantly influence its future actions and political strategy.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) decided to pursue legal action against the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) following its classification of the party as an extremist organisation. The lawsuit was filed in the administrative court in Cologne, where the BfV headquarters is situated.

"Through the lawsuit, the party is trying to legally prevent the authorities from classifying, monitoring, and investigating AfD as a right-wing extremist organisation", noted the dpa agency.

The BfV justified its decision with an internal report comprising approximately 1,100 pages. The document emphasised that AfD bases its understanding of the nation on origin rather than citizenship. "This concept prevalent in the party, based on ethnic categories, aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society," stated BfV deputy heads Sinan Selen and Silke Willems.

Classifying AfD as an extremist organisation does not entail a ban, but it does allow the authorities to use covert methods to monitor the party's activities. A decision on a potential ban could only be made upon a request by the Constitutional Court, one of the parliamentary chambers, or the government.