BERLIN, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Germany’s (BfV) domestic intelligence service must not refer to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as right-wing extremist for now, Cologne’s administrative court ruled on Thursday in a boost to the party before five state elections this year.
The court granted an injunction filed by the AfD contesting a 2025 decision by the BfV to refer to and treat the party as right-wing extremist. The injunction is valid until the court rules on the case itself but it is unclear when that will be.
“Following examination under the summary procedure, it cannot currently be established that the applicant, as a whole, is dominated by the positions discussed above,” said the court in a statement.
The spy agency had in May classified the far-right AfD as “extremist”, enabling it to step up monitoring of the country’s biggest opposition party.
Its move to classify the far-right AfD as extremist in May produced sharp reactions along the fault lines of German politics, with some lawmakers calling for the AfD to be banned and the party casting it as an attack on democracy.
It also sparked strong criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling on the German authorities to reverse their decision.
(Writing by Friederike HeineEditing by Ludwig Burger and Madeline Chambers)
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