Far-right AfD’s youth wing may be classified as ‘extremist,’ German court rules

A German court has ruled that Germany’s domestic intelligence agency may classify the youth wing of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as extremist, fueling a debate about whether the group should be banned.

The youth group, known as Young Alternative, “continues to engage in massive anti-foreigner and, in particular, anti-Islam and anti-Muslim agitation,” an administrative court in Cologne found, according to German media reports.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, which is tasked with surveilling groups deemed anti-constitutional, classified the Young Alternative as extremist in 2023 after monitoring it for years. The AfD and Young Alternative sought to counter the move in court.

The Cologne court, however, ruled that the classification of Young Alternative as extremist is justified, though the group is likely to now appeal that decision.

The court’s ruling is certain to fuel debate in Germany about whether Young Alternative should be banned. In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of Germans have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the AfD and far-right extremism.

The Cologne court’s decision “clearly shows that we are dealing with massive contempt for humanity, racism, hatred against Muslims and attacks on our democracy,” Nancy Faeser, Germany’s interior minister and member of the ruling Social Democrats, said in Berlin on Tuesday. “We will continue to take action against this with the means of the rule of law.”