Germany’s foreign ministry has responded critically to accusations from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a “right-wing extremist” group. The controversy has widened to involve notable figures such as Rubio, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and tech mogul Elon Musk, unfolding at a sensitive period for Germany, just as the nation approaches the 80th anniversary of World War II’s conclusion with Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender. Alongside, a pivotal coalition agreement between the center-left and center-right parties has also been freshly approved, with parliament poised to elect conservative leader Friedrich Merz as the new chancellor.
Although Merz has not made any official remarks concerning the intelligence service’s determination, Oleksii Makeiev, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, expressed worries about AfD’s alignment with Russia following the classification announcement. Historically noted for their Russia-leaning stance, AfD stands in opposition to Germany’s strategy regarding the war in Ukraine, despite Berlin being a major arms supplier to Ukraine after the U.S.
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution cited the AfD as a potential threat to the democratic structure, criticizing the party for violating human dignity through continued antagonism towards migrants and refugees. By designating AfD, which earned second place in the national elections held in February, as a right-wing extremist faction, German intelligence can now legally employ informants, as well as electronic surveillance, against the party’s activities nationwide. However, this action might inadvertently bolster the AfD’s narrative of facing political persecution. The rise of far-right parties across Europe has caught international attention, even garnering support from Elon Musk, closely aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Party heads Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla denounced the move as a significant assault on German democratic values, insisting on its political motivation—which the government dismisses. They emphasized AfD’s commitment to legally combating what they view as democracy-endangering slander. Despite the party’s electoral success fortifying its notable position in German politics, the main political factions continue to resist cooperation with far-right entities.
In his commentary on social media, Rubio urged Germany to reverse the classification, labeling it as disguised tyranny. “The real extremism lies not with the popular AfD but with the establishment’s lethal immigration policies that AfD contests,” Rubio stated. In response, the German foreign ministry posted a message asserting, “this is democracy,” defending the classification as a result of a comprehensive investigation to safeguard constitutional law, and highlighted the role of independent courts in determining the outcome. Emphasizing historical lessons, the ministry stressed the necessity of curbing right-wing extremism.
Vice President Vance, through his own social media message, drew parallels to the Cold War era, criticizing efforts to undermine AfD, which he claims is the most popular party in Germany, particularly in the East. “The Berlin Wall’s remnants have been rebuilt not by former Soviet forces, but by the contemporary German establishment,” he remarked. Musk lent his voice to Vance’s stance, re-sharing his post and noting, “fate loves irony.”
Within the Trump administration’s circles, AfD reportedly retains a history of engagement, punctuated by Vance’s meeting with Weidel days before the national election at the Munich Security Conference. He criticized the current political status quo, describing it as entrenched interests masking reality with terms like misinformation to suppress differing viewpoints or electoral victories. Musk has been vocally supportive of the AfD, engaging in a live-streamed conversation with Weidel to amplify their platform, during which he strongly encouraged voting for the party. The broadcast drew an audience peak of over 200,000 accounts on social media.