Hamburg’s Interior Minister, Andy Grote (SPD), is advocating for the monitoring of a newly formed AfD youth organization, “Generation Deutschland” by the state’s domestic intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz. The call for surveillance, revealed in an interview with the Handelsblatt, signals growing concern within the governing SPD over the group’s potential to radicalize and further the aims of the increasingly influential Alternative for Germany party.
Grote stated the organization warrants “intensive observation” due to the “personnel involvement of a wide range of figures from the far-right scene”. He characterized “Generation Deutschland” recently established in Giessen, as a “militant cadre organization” of the AfD, deliberately designed to pave the party’s path to power. The group’s close ties to the AfD, Grote emphasized, inherently link its development to the ongoing assessment and evaluation of the party itself, meaning any concerning patterns within the youth organization will directly impact the domestic intelligence agency’s overall assessment of the AfD.
The move reflects a broader political debate regarding the AfD’s increasing normalization within German society and the appropriate response to its youth wing. Critics argue that observing “Generation Deutschland” through the Verfassungsschutz is necessary to prevent the propagation of extremist ideologies and potentially illegal activities. Others express concerns about the potential impact of such surveillance on civil liberties and the risk of legitimizing the AfD’s narrative of persecution. The decision also places the SPD government in Hamburg under pressure to clearly delineate the boundaries of acceptable political activity while navigating the complex legal and ethical considerations surrounding domestic intelligence work. The development marks a significant escalation in the scrutiny faced by the AfD and its affiliated groups.