Germany is taking steps to restrict the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) from accessing sensitive military and intelligence information following the party’s recent electoral success in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The move comes amid concerns that the AfD, which is under federal surveillance and described by German intelligence as an extremist organization, could share classified information with Russia.
The federal government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democratic Union, is preparing measures to limit the party’s access to a classified 1,000-page military blueprint—informally called an “Oplan”—that outlines how Germany would respond to a potential renewed Russian attack in Eastern Europe. Currently, senior officials from Germany’s 16 states have limited access to this and other intelligence materials. However, with the AfD poised to form a coalition government in Saxony-Anhalt following its strong performance in the September 2024 state elections, Berlin is moving to curtail such access specifically for that state should the party assume power.
Officials fear that AfD officials could pass sensitive information concerning Russian military activities and intelligence assessments back to Moscow, given the party’s documented ties to Russia and its leaders’ admiration for President Vladimir Putin. The AfD’s national and Saxony-Anhalt chapters have been labeled “suspected extremist” and “confirmed extremist,” respectively, by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. These designations stem from allegations that the party promotes racism and an unconstitutional vision of national identity, although the AfD rejects such characterizations as politically motivated.
The proposed restrictions include blocking Saxony-Anhalt’s access to intelligence related to Russian subversion while maintaining availability of other security information necessary for counterterrorism efforts. Additionally, Berlin seeks to revise rules that currently require unanimous consent among all states for coordinated policing programs, preventing the AfD-led government from obstructing inter-state security operations. There are also plans to withhold intelligence files concerning investigations into far-right extremists and the AfD itself, aiming to protect ongoing surveillance efforts and cover undercover agents.
The defense ministry has confirmed it is reviewing what security-related information requires safeguarding but declined to provide specifics. Meanwhile, AfD spokesperson Jorik Herrmann criticized the measures as undemocratic attempts to exclude the party from access to intelligence based on unproven claims.
Germany’s approach reflects heightened anxiety over the stability of its postwar federal system, which grants significant autonomy to regional governments and intelligence authorities. The government’s actions also respond to pressure from NATO allies and regional partners, such as Poland and Scandinavian countries, who have voiced concerns over sharing sensitive Russia-related intelligence if it risks exposure through the AfD.
The current tension recalls similar experiences elsewhere in Europe, including Austria, where intelligence sharing was curtailed during the involvement of the far-right Freedom Party in government from 2017. Concerns over far-right infiltration of intelligence services prompted restrictions and eventually led to the overhaul of Austria’s domestic intelligence agency.
As Germany seeks to balance federalism with national security, the unfolding situation in Saxony-Anhalt highlights the challenges democracies face when extremist parties gain electoral power while under intelligence scrutiny.