Key Facts

• Germany's Foreign Office has backed the classification of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as right-wing extremist.
• This decision has met criticism from US officials including JD Vance and Marco Rubio.
• The German intelligence agency making the classification claims AfD's beliefs oppose the principles of Germany's free democracy.
• The AfD secured 152 seats in parliament, which is a record for them, with 20.8% of the vote in February's federal elections.
• The intelligence agency had previously labeled the AfD as right-wing extremist in three eastern states where they are most popular. That label now applies to the entire party.
• The AfD, according to the intelligence agency, aims to disqualify certain population groups, particularly those from Muslim countries, from equal status in German society.
• AfD party leaders have labeled the decision as politically motivated and damaging to Germany's democracy.
• This new classification allows authorities to increase surveillance on the AfD, for example by eavesdropping on phone calls and deploying undercover agents.