Following the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s designation of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as “reliably right-wing extremist” a joint federal-state working group has convened for the first time to discuss the ramifications. According to reports in the Tagesspiegel newspaper, citing sources within regional authorities, senior officials met at a working level last week to formally establish the group, with commitments made to progress deliberations rapidly.
The primary focus of the group’s work will involve clarifying the potential impact of such a classification on civil servants and firearms license holders, among other considerations. Should a court ruling solidify the AfD’s designation as reliably right-wing extremist at the national level, regional authorities emphasized the need for legal frameworks to be proactively developed, providing guidance for both the federal government and individual states.
Sources within the regional governments also indicated a degree of surprise at the constructive and open approach demonstrated by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in addressing these complex issues. The working group is expected to continue its efforts in the coming weeks.
