Status: 08.03.2022 8:22 p.m
The AfD suffered a defeat before the Cologne administrative court. The court ruled that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution may classify the party as a suspected right-wing extremist. The AfD had sued against this.
According to a decision by the Cologne Administrative Court, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) may classify the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a so-called suspected case. If classified as a suspected case, secret service means may be used for observation.
“Sufficient factual evidence”
There is “sufficient factual evidence of anti-constitutional efforts within the party,” said the court after a nearly ten-hour hearing in the cathedral city. The BfV have documented these clues in expert opinions and associated collections of material. The AfD only countered this evidence with “general denial”.
The assessment of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is based on an “overall view that is not objectionable,” the Chamber said.
The subject of the oral hearing was a total of four lawsuits against the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the BfV. Because of its size, the trial did not take place in the courthouse, but in the Cologne exhibition center. Federal spokesman Tino Chrupalla took part for the AfD.