210
16 days ago
German intelligence wrangles with courts over AfD extremism
Summary
The head of the domestic intelligence agency in the German state of Thuringia has praised a decision taken by its partner agency in Lower Saxony to rate the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as extremist.
Stephan Kramer said he had long expressed the opinion that AfD extremism was evident not only in the states of formerly communist East Germany but also in the states of former West Germany. Thuringia lay in East Germany, while Lower Saxony was in West Germany.
Kramer was speaking to dpa in the Thuringian capital of Erfurt after a Cologne court ruled in an urgent application that the federal domestic intelligence agency could not for the present rate the AfD at federal level as confirmed right-wing extremist and could not describe it as such in public.
Kramer said that the Lower Saxony state agency had collected and evaluated its own information and come to the conclusion that the AfD was a proven extremist association at state level.
The Lower Saxon AfD has taken the state's intelligence agency to court over its mid-February decision to rate the party as right-wing extremist and thus subject to special monitoring under German law. The state thus became the first former West German state to do so.
The Lower Saxon AfD had been monitored as suspect since 2022. After this was extended in 2024, the intelligence agency had to decide by May 2026 whether the rating should be upgraded to "extremist" or terminated.
In 2021, the Thuringian agency was the first in Germany to rate the AfD as "confirmed right-wing extremist."
The different ratings determine to what extent the intelligence organs can investigate the AfD.
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Stephan Kramer said he had long expressed the opinion that AfD extremism was evident not only in the states of formerly communist East Germany but also in the states of former West Germany. Thuringia lay in East Germany, while Lower Saxony was in West Germany.
Kramer was speaking to dpa in the Thuringian capital of Erfurt after a Cologne court ruled in an urgent application that the federal domestic intelligence agency could not for the present rate the AfD at federal level as confirmed right-wing extremist and could not describe it as such in public.
Kramer said that the Lower Saxony state agency had collected and evaluated its own information and come to the conclusion that the AfD was a proven extremist association at state level.
The Lower Saxon AfD has taken the state's intelligence agency to court over its mid-February decision to rate the party as right-wing extremist and thus subject to special monitoring under German law. The state thus became the first former West German state to do so.
The Lower Saxon AfD had been monitored as suspect since 2022. After this was extended in 2024, the intelligence agency had to decide by May 2026 whether the rating should be upgraded to "extremist" or terminated.
In 2021, the Thuringian agency was the first in Germany to rate the AfD as "confirmed right-wing extremist."
The different ratings determine to what extent the intelligence organs can investigate the AfD.
The best savings account interest rates are still well above historical norms. Find out which banks and credit unions are offering the highest savings rates today.
These are today's HELOC and home equity loan interest rates. Interest rates have generally fallen for more than a year. Shop HELOC or HEL lenders for your best rate.
The Jets will leave the combine in a great place. They have five first-round picks in 2026 and 2027.
James accomplished the feat during a blowout road win.
Porziņģis has played only one game for the Warriors after joining them at the trade deadline.
The Vols let a 13-point second-half lead slip to one of their biggest rivals and lost their second-leading scorer to injury.
Brandon Miller scored 26 for Charlotte, which has won 16 of its past 20 games.
From classic bootleg pairs to trendy wide-leg denim, there's something for everyone among these bestsellers, all $45 or less.
Here are the top 40-yard dash times by every position group at this year's NFL combine.
The Blue Devils clinched the No. 1 seed in the ACC men's basketball tournament and will win the ACC regular season title with a victory in one of their final two games.
AI Description
The article discusses the classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as extremist by German intelligence agencies. It highlights the differing perspectives within Germany on the nature of the AfD, particularly between former East and West German states.