Temporary success for the Alternative for Germany party

2026-02-27 08:42:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Cologne Administrative Court ruled that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is temporarily not allowed to classify and treat the AfD as "safely right-wing extremist."

The Cologne Administrative Court ruled in an interim ruling that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) is not allowed to classify and handle the case of the Alternative for Germany party as definitely "right-wing extremist" as long as the court proceedings continue, until a final decision is announced.

The decision came after the AfD's urgent request was accepted in principle, the court announced. The decision can be appealed to the highest relevant instance, the Higher Administrative Court for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster.

The court's assessment is that it is reasonably certain that efforts are being made within the AfD to oppose the democratic and liberal order. However, this does not characterise the party "in such a way that, in its entirety, a fundamental tendency hostile to the Constitution can be established."

Classification by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution

After a several-year review, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the AfD last year as "definitely right-wing extremist." The suspicion that the party pursues goals that are directed against the democratic and liberal order has been confirmed and in essential parts has been consolidated into full conviction, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution announced at the time.

The AfD took legal action against this classification. It filed a lawsuit and an urgent application with the Cologne Administrative Court, because the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is based in that city. With this lawsuit, the AfD aimed to prevent the Federal Office from classifying, listing and treating it as right-wing extremist.

Now, after the decision, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution does not have the right to publicly call the AfD a safe right-wing extremist party until a final court decision./ CNA