The dramatic reversal comes after the AfD launched an urgent legal challenge, accusing the outgoing government of launching a politically motivated smear campaign days before leaving office. In its court filing, the BfV offered no explanation for the sudden shift.
The agency’s original decision — based on a reported 1,000-page internal analysis — marked a historic first: Never before had a party with full representation in the Bundestag been formally labeled a confirmed right-wing extremist organization. That designation would have enabled the BfV to step up surveillance, including the use of informants.
Asked for comment on the court filing, a BfV spokesperson declined to respond to POLITICO’s request.
The backpedal is likely to intensify the political debate over whether the AfD, now leading national polls, should face a formal ban. The AfD, for its part, continues to frame the classification as an attempt to discredit the party ahead of the government reshuffle. “We will keep fighting this in court,” party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said.
