BERLIN – A German court on Friday suspended the right of the country’s domestic intelligence agency to oversee the leading opposition party in parliament, Germany’s far-right alternative.
The ruling by the Cologne Administrative Court comes two days after the news leaked to the media that the intelligence service has decided to investigate the party, which is known by its German initials AfD, because they are suspected of being a threat to the democracy is.
The court said the leak violated a confidentiality agreement and jeopardized the party’s guarantee of equal opportunities. It has withdrawn the intelligence agency’s right to take further action against the party pending the outcome of an ongoing legal dispute over the measure.
Last month, the court ruled that the intelligence office, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, known under the German initials BfV, was allowed to start investigating the AfD for extremism. However, the party has filed a lawsuit, the outcome of which will now determine whether the agency can monitor the party’s movements by tapping on telephones and other communications.
The court said in a statement that it prohibits “the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution from classifying or treating the party as a ‘suspicious case’, and from making any further announcements of a classification or treatment as a ‘suspect’. case ‘until a decision is made on the emergency action brought by the AfD. ”
The party welcomed the ruling, which comes after Germany went into a general election in September.
‘This ruling is not only a great victory for us, but also for the rule of law, because the administrative court has shown that the illegal action of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution against the largest opposition party has been lawfully stopped. can be. , “Said the party’s leader, Jörg Meuthen.
The intelligence agency was increasingly concerned about the party’s positions and investigated the speeches and posts on social media of AfD officials for evidence of extremism. A review concluded that the party’s position is contrary to the principles of liberal democracy, not least with Article 1 of the German Constitution, which states that human dignity is indisputable, officials said.
A year ago, the intelligence agency associated both the most radical wing of the AfD associated with Björn Höcke, the party’s most notorious far-right firefighter, as its youth organization as extremist and said it would put some of its most influential leaders under surveillance. .
The AfD has seats in all 16 state houses in Germany, in addition to the largest opposition party in the federal government. In recent months, support for the party has fallen below 10 percent, compared to the 12.6 percent representation he earned in the 2017 election.