[Text/Watchman Network Qi Qian] According to CNN reports, on May 2 local time, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which is responsible for domestic security intelligence in Germany, designated the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a clear "far-right organization." Subsequently, a "war of words" erupted between Germany and the United States.

American Secretary of State Rubio posted on social media platform X, stating: "Germany has just granted its intelligence agency new powers to monitor opponents."

"This is not democracy, but disguised tyranny," Rubio wrote. "The real extremism is not the popular AfD (which ranked second in recent elections), but the lethal open-border immigration policy opposed by the AfD."

He concluded by calling: "Germany should change its policies."

Soon after, the German Foreign Ministry replied in the comments section, refuting Rubio's statement.

The German Foreign Ministry responded: "This is democracy. It is a decision made after thorough independent investigation, aimed at safeguarding our constitution and rule of law. The final authority rests with independent courts. We learn from history and must curb right-wing extremism."

Screenshot of the tweet

According to Euro News reports, on February 2, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution identified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a "far-right organization that poses a threat to democracy and constitutional order." The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution stated in a press release that after three years of investigation, it found that the AfD holds xenophobic views.

Under German law, after designating the AfD as a "far-right organization," the government will be granted greater authority to monitor the party's activities, but this does not automatically lead to legal sanctions or a ban on the party.

The AfD criticized this decision as "politically motivated," vowing to continue "legally defending" itself against "defamation." German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated in a statement that this characterization was "clear and unequivocal," the result of a comprehensive, neutral review spanning 1,100 pages, free from political influence.

Rubio is not the first Trump administration official to publicly support the AfD. During the Munich Security Conference in February, Vance met with Alice Wiedder, the leader of the AfD. Musk also openly supported the AfD, criticizing Germany's policies on immigration, economy, and renewable energy multiple times.

On February 2, Vance also posted on X, criticizing Germany's decision to designate the AfD as a "far-right organization."

He retweeted Rubio's post and wrote: "The AfD is Germany's most popular party and the most representative East German party to date. Now bureaucrats are trying to destroy it. Western countries brought down the Berlin Wall together. Today, the Berlin Wall is being rebuilt—not by the Soviets or Russians, but by Germany's ruling elites."

In February, Wiedder (second from left in front row) and others await election results Visual China

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) was founded in 2013 and has rapidly risen in popularity in recent years by capitalizing on public concerns about immigration.

In February, the AfD garnered over 20% of the vote in the federal parliamentary election, setting a new record, coming second only to the center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union alliance, making it Germany's largest opposition party.

"We have achieved historic success," said Alice Wiedder, the leader of the AfD, addressing cheering supporters in Berlin at the time. The AfD has "firmly established itself" in Germany's political landscape.

However, according to German media reports, despite its high approval ratings, the AfD remains excluded from the government because other parties reject cooperation due to the party's "extremist" inclinations. Recently, several members of different political parties in Germany have begun efforts to gain support to ban the AfD. Reports suggest that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution' s latest characterization may inject new momentum into these efforts.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7500190447600452105/

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