Germany’s intelligence agency plans to investigate far-right AfD for extremist tendencies


(MENAFN) The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, Thomas Haldenwang, announced on Wednesday plans to prepare a new report on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to scrutinize extremist tendencies within the party. Expressing growing concerns over the radicalization among right-wing groups, Haldenwang emphasized the need for thorough examination of the AfD's activities.

Highlighting a resurgence in the number of violent right-wing extremists in the country, Haldenwang revealed that his agency is intensifying efforts to assess extremist inclinations within the AfD, the largest far-right party in Germany. According to the BfV’s annual report last year, approximately 10,200 members of the AfD and its youth wing Junge Alternative were identified as having violent intentions and extremist affiliations.

The AfD's significant gains in Sunday’s European elections, securing a record 15.9 percent of the vote and surpassing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party to claim second place, have raised concerns. The party has been mired in several controversies, including allegations of secret meetings to plan mass expulsions of immigrants, casting doubts on its commitment to democratic values.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has been closely monitoring the AfD’s youth wing and various branches since 2021 due to suspected anti-democratic aspirations within the party. Over the years, prominent AfD members have faced criticism for their anti-immigrant, antisemitic, and Islamophobic rhetoric, with critics accusing the party of fueling xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism in Germany. The forthcoming report by the BfV underscores the ongoing efforts to address and counter extremist elements within the political landscape of Germany.

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