Elham Asaad Buaras
A recent poll reveals that nearly half of Germans support banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after the nation’s domestic intelligence agency officially designated it as an extremist group.
The survey, conducted by the Insa Institute for Bild am Sonntag between May 2 and May 3, found that 48% of Germans favour an outright ban on the AfD, while 37% oppose the idea and 15% remain undecided. The poll also showed that 61% of Germans already view the AfD as a “right-wing extremist” party. Notably, 79% of respondents said the agency’s classification had not changed their opinion, underscoring deeply entrenched public attitudes.
The AfD has recently surged in popularity, with some polls placing its support at 26%, making it one of Germany’s leading political forces. This rise is largely attributed to its anti-immigration campaigning, fearmongering about Muslims, and growing public frustration with mainstream parties amid economic uncertainty.
The AfD’s rise has been accompanied by its openly anti-Muslim stance, which is central to its far-right agenda. The party has called for a ban on mosque constructions and restrictions on Islamic religious practices and has labelled Islam as incompatible with German society. The BfV’s investigation cited the party’s exclusionary rhetoric, particularly aimed at Muslims and migrants, as evidence of its extremist ideology.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) announced on May 1 that the AfD was now classified as a “proven extremist group” following a three-year investigation. The BfV concluded that the party pursues a far-right nationalist and anti-democratic agenda. It specifically highlighted the AfD’s ethnically based concept of citizenship and targeting of Muslim communities, both of which undermine Germany’s democratic constitutional order.
Previously, only the AfD’s branches in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt were designated as extremist. The new nationwide designation enables German authorities to apply enhanced surveillance, including communications monitoring and the use of informants.
AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla condemned the decision as a “severe blow to German democracy” and vowed to challenge it in court. They questioned the timing, highlighting the absence of a sitting BfV president and the current government transition.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged caution regarding calls to ban the AfD outright, noting that only the Constitutional Court can make such a decision and that past attempts to ban far-right parties, such as the NPD, failed due to procedural flaws or insufficient evidence.
Internationally, the BfV’s move drew criticism. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced it on X, writing, “That’s not democracy — it’s tyranny in disguise,” accusing Germany of using state powers to suppress opposition and defending the AfD as a party resisting “deadly open border immigration policies”.
Germany’s Foreign Office rebuked Rubio’s remarks, responding, “This is democracy. This decision is the result of a thorough and independent investigation.” It reiterated that intelligence services do not ban parties — courts do — and reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to due process and confronting right-wing extremism responsibly.
Photo: Protesters rally against the far-right AfD party’s anti-Muslim and anti-foreigner policies in Cologne’s Chorweiler district on January 8, as party officials convene to select their federal election candidate. Around 600 demonstrators gathered outside the Chorweiler Municipality hall, with police intervening to prevent road blockades. (Credit: Kadir İlboğa/AA)
