Alternative for Germany is listed as a ’right-wing extremist’ party by domestic intelligence agency

German intelligence classifies AfD party as right-wing extremist, subjecting it to increased surveillance due to extremist links and actions.

The German domestic intelligence service said Friday (May 2, 2025) it has classified the Alternative for Germany party, which placed second in national elections in February, as a “right-wing extremist effort” — making it subject to greater and broader surveillance of its activities.

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The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution cited the “extremist character” of the party, known as AfD, and said it “disregards human dignity” — in particular by taking aim at those who moved to Germany from mostly Muslim countries.

The party criticized the move, with deputy chairman Stephan Brandner saying that it “is complete nonsense, has absolutely nothing to do with law and order, and is purely political in the fight of the cartel parties against the AfD.”

The AfD has already been under enhanced surveillance by authorities in some regions, but the announcement by the domestic spy agency means the agency's officials can use informants and other tools such as audio and video recordings to monitor the party’s activities nationwide.

The office, which has warned of growing extremism in Germany, cited court decisions in two German regions in recent years that detailed party efforts to undermine a free and democratic order.

The party “aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society, to subject them to unconstitutional unequal treatment and thus to assign them a legally devalued status," the agency, known as BfV, said.