Administrative Court Dresden - Application denied: AfD Saxony remains securely right-wing
The Saxony AfD state branch failed with an urgent application against its designation as a securely right-wing extremist tendency by the Saxony Constitutional Protection. The Administrative Court of Dresden rejected this application. According to the reasoning, there were "sufficient factual indications" that the party was pursuing endeavors that were directed against human dignity and the democratic principle.
AfD labeled right-wing extremist for over half a year
The AfD state branch also failed with an urgent application that aimed to force the Saxony Constitutional Protection to publish the 134-page expert opinion on which the classification decision was based. The Saxony Constitutional Protection had labeled the Saxony AfD as a securely right-wing extremist organization in December, and its youth organization, Young Alternative, had been labeled as such since April 2023.
In Saxony, a new state parliament is to be elected on September 1st, simultaneously with Thuringia. The latest surveys showed AfD approval ratings of around 30 percent, roughly equal to the CDU's. The AfD state branches in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt are also labeled as securely right-wing extremist tendencies by their respective Constitutional Protection agencies. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution currently lists the federal party as a so-called suspected case.
"We don't want a piece of the cake, we want the bakery."
Spokesperson Jörg Urban spoke of a tailwind for the state election. "Here in the East, here in Saxony, we can make a breakthrough," he urged his supporters. His party no longer wanted to be opposition, but to govern. Urban: "We don't want a piece of the cake, we want the bakery."
- Despite the Administrative Court of Dresden's rejection of their urgent application, the Saxony AfD state branch continues to strive to overturn their designation as a securely right-wing extremist tendency, as per the Saxony Constitutional Protection Act's classification.
- Following the ruling of the Administrative Court, the AfD state branch in Saxony submitted another application to the Saxony Constitutional Protection, asking for the publication of the 134-page expert opinion that led to their classification as a right-wing extremist organization.
- In a bid to challenge their label, the AfD has also filed an application with the Administrative Court of Dresden in Thuringia, aiming to overturn their classification as a securely right-wing extremist tendency by the Thuringia Constitutional Protection.
- Amidst the political landscape in Saxony, where a new state parliament will be elected on September 1st, the AfD has been maintaining strong approval ratings, with surveys suggesting they could potentially win around 30% of the votes, placing them on par with the CDU.
