The Office for the Protection of the Constitution detects an increasing number of right-wing extremists.
The president of Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has stated that the number of right-wing extremists in the country is on the rise, with the AfD being a significant contributor to this trend. This increase will be evaluated further by the agency.
The rise in the number of right-wing extremists in Germany has been fueled by various fringe groups in recent times, as per Thomas Haldenwang, the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The latest report on the matter, set to be released next week, predicts a surge in violent right-wing extremists.
In 2022, the increase in right-wing extremists was primarily attributed to the AfD, which was included in the Constitutional Protection Report for the first time. The agency estimates that around 10,200 members of the AfD and its youth wing could be linked to extremist movements. The party and its youth organization initially fought against being classified as a suspicion case, but their legal challenges were unsuccessful in May, before the Higher Administrative Court in Münster.
The Constitutional Protection Agency is currently reassessing the AfD. A suspicion case needs to be re-evaluated periodically, and there are three possible outcomes: the suspicion is unfounded, and the monitoring is discontinued; the suspicion is confirmed, and the subject is designated as an established right-wing extremist observation target; or the evidence has not yet accumulated to determine if the person or organization is an established extremist endeavor, and further investigation is necessary.
The public will be informed of the outcome of the investigation regardless of any election dates or results. According to Haldenwang, the agency adheres to its legal mandate and remains unaffected by elections.
In March 2021, the agency announced that it had taken the entire AfD into consideration as a suspicion case. Since then, there has been a noticeable rise in extremist tendencies within the party. In the eastern federal states, many party officials are linked to the "solidary-patriotic" camp, led by figures like Thuringian state chairman Björn Höcke.
Few members in the party are vocal about opposing this right-wing ideology, and this antagonistic mindset is not reflected in the party's basic program. However, party representatives have made statements suggesting that they are violating the constitution and disrespecting human dignity principles.
Fringe groups like the New Right are attempting to normalize previously taboo ideologies. An example of this was the racially charged singing at a party on Sylt, where a group of young people can be seen singing "Germany for the Germans - Foreigners out!" to the melody of the old hit "L'amour toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino. A man in the video appears to be making a gesture akin to the Hitler salute.
The AfD garnered 15.9% in Germany's recent European election. Prominent AfD members Maximilian Krah and Petr Bystron have drawn attention for their potential connections to pro-Russian and Chinese networks.
Maximilian Krah has faced scrutiny over past controversial statements about the Nazi SS, and his AfD peers in the European Parliament's right-wing ID faction expelled him prior to the election. Upon assuming their positions, the newly-elected AfD MPs voted not to accept Krah into their group.
Russia has established a complex system of agents and mechanisms to influence German society and political decisions, stated Haldenwang. To combat this, visa applications from identified Russian operatives are meticulously reviewed, and those known to the domestic intelligence service will not receive a visa.
In the past, Russia attempted to forge relationships with politicians, exploiting them to gather information and encouraging them to promote Russian narratives in Parliament and the media. Recent suspicions indicate that this strategy may be employed to sway politicians into supporting the pro-Russia-funded website 'Voice of Europe.' Several prosecution authorities are investigating these matters.
On their website, interviews featuring Krah and Bystron have surfaced. In early April, the Czech newspaper "Denik N" claimed that Bystron could have received funds. Bystron has continuously denied these allegations. Krah, too, has refuted any involvement with the "Voice of Europe" faction, also denying financial gain.
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The AfD's involvement in right-wing extremism has led to its inclusion in the Constitutional Protection Report, with estimates suggesting that around 10,200 members could be linked to extremist movements. The Constitutional Protection Agency is currently reassessing the AfD, aiming to determine if they should continue monitoring the party as a suspicion case due to its extremist tendencies.
