Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as 'extremist,' citing its ethnically defined concept of the people that undermines human dignity and its anti-migrant and anti-Muslim stance. This decision allows the agency to closely surveil the party, which has been met with criticism both domestically and internationally, including from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio who called it 'tyranny in disguise.' Despite the AfD's strong electoral performance, achieving second place in the February elections, both the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democrats have ruled out forming a government with them. The AfD, which argues the classification is politically motivated, intends to pursue legal action against what it sees as defamatory attacks threatening democracy. The designation follows a comprehensive report and previous legal challenges by the AfD against its classification as suspected of extremism, reflecting broader tensions around immigration and political surveillance in Germany.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in Germany has labeled the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as 'extremist,' a designation that allows the intelligence agency to surveil the party closely and intercept communications.

The BfV's decision is based on the AfD's ethnically and ancestrally defined people's concept, which is seen as devaluing segments of the German population and violating human dignity, alongside its anti-migrant and anti-Muslim positions.

The AfD refutes the extremist classification as a politically motivated attack on democracy, while international reactions include criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described it as 'tyranny in disguise.'

Despite securing 20.8% of the vote in February's elections, making it the second most popular party, both the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democrats have expressly decided against forming a coalition government with the AfD.

Germany's intelligence service, constrained by the country's history, requires an 'extremist' classification to surveil political parties, and this follows a detailed 1,100-page report and a legal loss for the AfD in contesting an earlier classification.

AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla have vowed to continue legal action against the BfV's decision, which they claim endangers democratic principles, while Vice President JD Vance and others have raised concerns about free speech in Europe.

The broader political landscape in Germany is marked by tensions over immigration policies, with some attributing the AfD's popularity to its opposition to open border policies, which have been criticized by establishment parties.