Overview

• The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) recently classified the AfD as definitively right-wing extremist, though the classification is temporarily suspended due to a legal challenge by the party.
• A majority of Germans, according to a recent Insa poll, support initiating a ban procedure, with 53% in favor of a formal request to the Federal Constitutional Court.
• Prominent figures like Greens co-chair Felix Banaszak and Thuringia’s Verfassungsschutz head Stephan Kramer advocate for a ban, citing the party's threat to democratic principles.
• Opponents, including CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann, warn that a ban could backfire by reinforcing the AfD's victim narrative and alienating its voter base.
• Calls for public demonstrations and further evaluation of the BfV’s 1,100-page report highlight escalating political and societal engagement with the issue.