The BFV, one of Germany's three federal intelligence services, established on Friday that the AFD is no longer to be regarded as "suspected" but as "confirmed" right-wing extremist. This gives the authorities extended possibilities for surveillance through infiltrators and wiretapping.
The basis for the new classification is that the AFD is considered to counteract the "liberal democratic basic order" in Germany, including through "xenophobic, minority-hostile and Islam- and Muslim-hostile statements from leading party representatives".
The decision will now be taken up by the administrative court in Cologne, where the BFV has its seat.
The AFD received 20.8 per cent of the votes in the election in February, a doubling of the party's result in 2021.
