Germany's foreign ministry is hitting back at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he criticized the decision to classify the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party as a "right-wing extremist" organization. The spat occurred at a complicated time for Germany, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Nazi Germany's capitulation.
- Rubio's tweet: In his Friday post, Rubio called on Germany to undo the classification. "Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That's not democracy—it's tyranny in disguise," he wrote. "What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment's deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes. Germany should reverse course."
- Vance: The vice president referenced the Cold War in his own post. "The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it," Vance wrote.
- Musk: The X owner reposted Vance's comments, adding, "Fate loves irony." Musk has supported the AfD for months and said before the German elections that he was "strongly recommending that people vote for AfD."
- German foreign ministry's response: The ministry wrote that "this is democracy" in a post that replied directly to Rubio. "This decision is the result of a thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law. It is independent courts that will have the final say. We have learnt from our history that rightwing extremism needs to be stopped."
- AfD: The party has long faced criticism for Russia-friendly positions, including opposing Germany's stance toward the war in Ukraine. Berlin is Ukraine's second-biggest weapons supplier after the United States. Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution described the party as a threat to the country's democratic order, saying it "disregards human dignity," in particular by what it called "ongoing agitation" against refugees and migrants.
- Extremist designation: The German domestic intelligence service's move to classify the AfD as a right-wing extremist group means its officials can now use informants and other tools such as audio and video recordings to monitor its activities nationwide. It risks, however, fueling the party's claims of political persecution. Far-right parties have been gaining ground across Europe, and the AfD attracts international attention, including support from Musk, who's a close ally of US President Trump.
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