Brandeburg’s branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been officially designated as a confirmed extremist organization by the state’s office for constitutional protection. The decision was announced Thursday by Interior Minister René Wilke and the head of the state office, Wilfried Peters. The release of the assessment follows the withdrawal of the AfD’s legal challenge seeking an injunction against the designation.
Minister Wilke stated that the party increasingly aims to dismantle the democratic state and its institutions, asserting that prominent figures within the AfD openly reveal this objective through their statements. He emphasized a firm stance against those supporting the party’s aims.
Mr. Peters detailed that the AfD in Brandenburg exhibits a significant degree of xenophobia and, at times, racism. The party, he explained, promotes an ethnocultural definition of the “people” that excludes and discriminates against individuals. He further cited concerning statements made by AfD officials that he characterized as a direct assault on democracy and its foundational principles. The assessment document, Peters confirmed, demonstrates the Brandenburg branch’s violations of human dignity and the democratic principle.
The designation now permits increased intelligence gathering activities directed towards the party. However, the Interior Ministry clarified that not all members of the AfD are automatically classified as extremists, nor are voters of the party inherently extremist.