Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) affirmed that the Interior Office will continue to monitor the AfD, even after the Cologne court’s ruling that the party cannot yet be definitively classified as far‑right extremist.
In a conversation with the news outlet “Welt” Dobrindt explained the court’s decision: “This ruling makes it clear that there are elements within the AfD that aim to undermine the liberal democratic order. That point is made very explicitly”.
He added that the decision does not cover the party as a whole, so the AfD remains an observation case for the security service. “Consequently, we will treat the AfD as a subject of ongoing observation” Dobrindt said. He also noted that the main investigative procedure will continue to be supported by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which will present its findings during that process.
Regarding actions in individual states, Dobrindt said there is no immediate change in approach. Instead, the focus will be on a detailed analysis of the court’s ruling. “The BfV bears responsibility for this analysis, and there are currently no implications for the state-level AfD associations”.