politics

February 28, 2026

Germany’s AfD hails ‘major victory’ against Berlin’s domestic spy agency

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel has hailed a court ruling suspending the party’s designation as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” group

Germany’s AfD hails ‘major victory’ against Berlin’s domestic spy agency

TL;DR

  • A court ruling has suspended the designation of the AfD party as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" organization.
  • The decision by an administrative court in Cologne grants a temporary injunction, pending a final ruling.
  • The court stated that radical statements by some AfD members were insufficient to assess the party as a whole.
  • This suspension impacts the domestic intelligence agency's (BfV) special powers to surveil and investigate the party.
  • AfD co-leader Alice Weidel hailed the ruling as a "major victory."
  • Lawyers for the AfD believe this decision makes a proposed ban "no longer conceivable."
  • Political rivals, including Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, maintain concerns about the AfD's alignment with the constitution.
  • Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of a left-wing party, called the ruling a "slap in the face" for the BfV and a "campaign gift" for the AfD.

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