Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the country’s domestic intelligence agency, has officially designated the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as a “confirmed right-wing extremist organization”, foreign media reported on Friday. This decision escalates the AfD's status from a “suspected” threat to a fully classified extremist entity. According to Deutsche Welle, the move follows an in-depth, three-year investigation into the party’s activities and its ideological stance, particularly on migration and Germany’s historical narrative. AfD's History of Controversy The AfD, which was founded in 2013, has a history marked by controversial statements and positions. Over the years, its political rhetoric has drawn criticism for its far-right stance, including its anti-immigration policies and seemingly divisive statements regarding Germany's history, particularly concerning the Nazi era and the Holocaust. In 2018, AfD’s Alexander Gauland controversially described the Nazi regime as "bird shit" in Germany’s long history, Deutsche Welle reported, adding that the same year, Lars Steinke, an AfD youth leader, made headlines by claiming that Adolf Hitler was "forced" to invade Poland. One of the most controversial figures within the party, the report says, is Björn Höcke, who has faced multiple legal issues, including a fine for using a banned Nazi slogan at a campaign rally. According to DW, Höcke, a senior AfD lawmaker in the state of Thuringia, has also referred to Berlin’s Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe as a “monument of shame” and has argued that it was wrong for Hitler to be portrayed as “absolutely evil.” The BfV’s Findings on AfD’s Extremism The BfV’s classification of the AfD as a confirmed extremist group is the culmination of months of thorough investigation. According to a Der Spiegel, the agency compiled an extensive 1,100-page report detailing the party’s actions to undermine Germany’s democratic order. A key finding was that the AfD’s “ethnicity- and ancestry-based” understanding of German identity is fundamentally incompatible with the country’s constitutional values, which it said emphasise equality and inclusivity. The report specifically called out the AfD’s discriminatory stance towards citizens of immigrant backgrounds, especially those from predominantly Muslim countries, as well as its "efforts to incite hostility towards asylum seekers and immigrants". The BfV noted that the party aims to exclude certain population groups from full participation in society and to subject them to treatment that violates the constitution, thus devaluing their status as equal citizens. As quoted by Deutsche Welle, outgoing German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, “The AfD represents an ethnic concept that discriminates against entire population groups and treats citizens with a history of migration as second-class Germans.” She also insisted there was “no political influence whatsoever” on the intelligence agency’s decision. 'Radicalisation' of AfD Leadership The BfV's findings also highlight the radicalisation of the AfD over the years. Originally founded by Eurosceptic professors, the party has grown increasingly extreme, particularly as more moderate members were ousted, The Guardian reported. Currently, the party is led by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have reportedly been vocal in their calls for the “remigration” of people they consider "poorly integrated,” including German citizens with foreign roots. According to The Guardian, Weidel has also made headlines for an online chat with billionaire Elon Musk in which she referred to Adolf Hitler as a "communist." These remarks, coupled with the party’s harsh rhetoric, have raised alarm among political analysts and security authorities, who believe that the AfD poses a significant threat to democratic values in Germany, reports say. New Classification Could Mean More Surveillance The BfV’s new classification allows for expanded surveillance measures, including tapping phone communications, observing meetings and recruiting informants to monitor the party’s activities more closely, The Guardian report suggests. Critics of the AfD have long called for the party to be banned, arguing that it undermines core democratic principles such as the protection of minority rights. In Germany, a political party can be banned by either house of parliament (the Bundestag or Bundesrat) or by the government. AfD’s rise in German politics has been substantial, with the party securing over 20% of the vote in the February 2023 general election, making it the second-largest party in the country. ALSO READ: Germany’s AfD Classified as Extremist Organization - What Does This Mean? Explained