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Germany s far-right AfD party has been put under formal surveillance on suspicion of seeking to undermine the democratic post-war constitution.
The move will allow the Federal Office for Protection of the Constitution (BfV) to eavesdrop on AfD members and scrutinise party funding, making it the first party to be monitored in this way since the end of World War II.
The AfD was propelled into the German parliament in 2017 by voters angry with Angela Merkel s open-door refugee policy, but it is shunned by mainstream parties who blame it for stirring up hatred and violence against immigrants.
The party, whose full name is Alternative for Germany, has also caused outrage by demanding an end to Germany s culture of atonement for its Nazi crimes.
Mar. 3, 2021
Germany s BfV domestic intelligence service has formally placed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) under surveillance on suspicion of trying to undermine Germany s democratic constitution, a person briefed on the move said on Wednesday.
After four years ago becoming the first avowedly anti-immigrant party to enter the German parliament, the AfD now becomes the first party to be monitored in this way since the Nazi era ended in 1945.
It was propelled into the Bundestag in 2017 by voters angry with Chancellor Angela Merkel s decision to welcome more than one million migrants. But it has been ostracized by other parties, which say its rhetoric contributes to an atmosphere of hatred that encourages violence against immigrants.
<div class="at-above-post addthis tool" data-url="https://www.metro.us/german-far-right-afd-first/"></div>BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s BfV domestic intelligence service has formally placed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) under surveillance on suspicion of trying to undermine Germany’s democratic constitution, a person briefed on the move said on Wednesday. After four years ago becoming the first avowedly anti-immigrant party to enter the German parliament, the AfD now […]<! AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on get the excerpt ><! AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on get the excerpt ><! AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get the excerpt ><! AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on get the excerpt ><! AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on get the excerpt ><div class="at-below-post addthis tool" data-url="https://www.metro.us/ge
German state vs. the far-right AfD: An unending duel
The domestic intelligence service has been examining how dangerous the Alternative for Germany is since 2019. Now the nationalist party will be placed under observation.
Is the AfD a threat to Germany s democratic order?
On Wednesday, it emerged that the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) would be put under observationby the domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, a designation giving state agents more powers for surveillance in certain circumstances, including potentially tapping the party s communications.
AfD representatives were outraged, claiming that this was an attempt to harm the party ahead of the general election later this year.