Germany’s spies turn on Russia as the AfD pulls voters toward Moscow
Germany is overhauling how it monitors extremism at the same time the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is surging in Saxony-Anhalt. The clash is setting up one of the most closely watched state elections in years.
The domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has classified the AfD’s regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt as a "suspicious entity" and, in some assessments, as "far-right extremist". That designation gives authorities broader surveillance powers, including monitoring communications and funding. Courts have upheld the right of the BfV to keep the party under surveillance. 6a146ca7131e
AfD leaders reject the move. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD candidate for state premier, accused the BfV of being "politically directed" to target the opposition. He said the agency should "return to its core remit, rather than focusing on monitoring the opposition". Party officials call the classification "Orwellian Newspeak" and claim it’s an attempt to discredit them ahead of voting. 6ca726ff
The surveillance comes as the AfD gains historic momentum in the eastern state. Polls put the party around 40% to 42% in Saxony-Anhalt ahead of the September 6 election, well ahead of other parties. Nationally the AfD is polling between 25% and 29%, sometimes ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU/CSU. df021f7958938aae
Mainstream parties maintain a "firewall" policy of not cooperating with the AfD. But a win in Saxony-Anhalt could give the AfD its first state government and a potential blueprint for other states. The BfV says the party holds "fundamentally racist" positions and "seeks to bring the German democratic system... into disrepute". 58931f796ca7
The September election is seen as a test for German democracy. With economic stagnation, a shrinking workforce, and rising frustration with traditional parties, the AfD is campaigning heavily on migration and identity issues. Intelligence officials argue their job is to protect the constitutional order, while the AfD argues the state is trying to "protect democracy... from the will of the voters". df02609726ff