Germany Stands Firm on AfD Extremist Status Amid U.S. Backlash

Sat Dec 13 2025 22:08:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Germany's foreign office defends the classification of the AfD as extremism, prompting U.S. criticism from prominent officials.

The German government remains resolute in labeling the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland party as extremist, in response to backlash from U.S. leaders who claim it's a move toward authoritarianism. This classification comes amid rising support for the AfD in German parliament.

Germany's foreign office has staunchly defended its classification of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as a right-wing extremist organization, following intense criticism from American officials. U.S. Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have taken to social media to denounce the label, with Rubio calling it "tyranny in disguise" and accusing German bureaucrats of reconstructing a metaphorical Berlin Wall.

In an unprecedented reply, the German foreign office directly addressed Rubio on social media platform X, emphasizing the need to combat right-wing extremism based on Germany's historical lessons. The intelligence agency responsible for the classification, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), articulated that the AfD's stance on identity and ethnicity contradicts the foundations of Germany's democratic society.

Having secured 20.8% of the vote in the February federal elections, the AfD achieved a significant presence in parliament, capturing 152 out of 630 seats. This ruling now gives officials enhanced powers to surveil the party, including intercepting communication and deploying undercover operatives.

Joint leaders of the AfD, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, denounced the classification as a politically charged attack on democracy. Beatrix von Storch, deputy parliamentary leader of the party, described the designation as indicative of an authoritarian regime's response to dissenting political voices, framing it as an infringement on democratic principles.

Vance, who recently showed support for the AfD during a visit to Munich, criticized the decision as a tactic by establishment bureaucrats to suppress the party. He utilized the Berlin Wall metaphor to illustrate a perceived separation between the political elite and populist movements.

This classification has reignited discussions on a potential ban on the AfD, especially as Germany prepares for a pivotal vote in the Bundestag to confirm Friedrich Merz as chancellor, forming a coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). SPD leader Lars Klingbeil remarked that the government would carefully consider the implications of the AfD’s actions, stating, "They want a different country; they want to destroy our democracy. And we must take that very seriously."