The national Office for the Protection of the Constitution had the right to monitor members of the second most popular organization in the West Germany, Alternatives for Germany (AfD), recognized the court. This is simply a suspicion of "right-wing extremism".
In connection with the surveillance of the AfD organization members, its authorities launched a judicial conflict that failed. The ultimate Administrative Court of Münster rejected the party’s complaint concerning the possible non-compliance of the activities of the national Constitutional Protection Office (BfV) with the essential law.
The Court considered that BfV had taken a ‘proportional’ action, classifying AfD as a possible extremist group. As has been stated, these actions were consistent with the Constitution, national and European law.
The satisfaction of the ruling was expressed by the Minister of the Interior of Germany Nancy Faeser, stating that further marginalisation of AfD in the political strategy is beneficial “for democracy”.
The AfD management intends to appeal the decision at national level. ‘Der Spiegel’ recalls that specified an appeal may concern only the decision-making process and not the essential facts established by the Münster Court.
AfD inactive enjoys advanced support, being after CDU/CSU the second most popular political force in the country. However, another groups want to destruct the Alternative.
Several weeks before the European Parliament election, German officials made public the charges against 3 AfD politicians, Dr. Gunnar Beck, Petr Bystron, and advisor to parliamentary list leader AfD Maximilian Krah. It was about alleged ties to China.
According to the latest INSA poll published on 12 May, this group presently has 17% of public support. Despite the decline in support of the state from the turn of 2023 and 2024, the AfD organization inactive ahead of specified formations as SPD, Greens or FDP.
The British "The Guardian" comments that despite negative mainstream media headlines on AfD, "scandals do not push German AfD off course" before elections to the European Parliament.
Although the organization lost a fewer points of support, the "negative headlines of newspapers are improbable to convince its supporters" to change electoral preferences.
Officials are looking for charges against accused politicians who are accused of spying on China or of collusion with Russia on the policy of "a plan for universal remigration" of foreigners and German citizens.
German political scientist Benjamin Höhne suggests that "a mistake [mainstream] would be to place besides much hope in falling poll results". He added that the AfD strategy of "normalisation", i.e. mainstreaming previously taboo positions, was successful among a large part of the German society that is not affected by negative headlines.
He adds that the phenomenon of large support for the AfD stems from the fact that a large part of the population wants to change the position quo and gladly supports the organization that promises to hit the current system.
AfD activists are besides physically attacked by left-wing extremists. "These are no longer one-time cases," suggested political scientist Herfried Münkler, commenting on public tv that they mean a worrying trend that "in rule undermines our democracy."
Sources: brusselssignal.eu, theguardian.com
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