The countrys most popular party has denounced the designation as a severe blow to democracy

Germany's domestic intelligence agency has officially designated the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) as an "extremist" party. The designation comes despite the AfD leading national opinion polls.

In a statement on Friday, Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) said that the AfD exhibits numerous signs of a party acting against the free democratic basic order while accusing it of "disregarding human dignity." The assessment was made based on an "intensive and comprehensive expert review" of the party's activities, including its affiliations and statements by party members.

At the core of the decision is what the agency described as the party's "understanding of people predominantly based on their ethnic descent." According to the BfV, AfD leaders promote policies that exclude German citizens with migrant backgrounds - particularly Muslims - from full societal participation. The report also flagged the party's use of terms such as "knife-wielding migrants" and its attribution of violent tendencies to non-European ethnic groups.

"The continuous incitement against refugees and migrants... promotes the spread and deepening of prejudices, resentment, and fears," the BfV concluded.

AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla have condemned the decision. "Today's classification is a severe blow to German democracy," they said in a joint statement. "The AfD is the strongest party in current polls... Nevertheless, the AfD, as an opposition party, is now being publicly discredited and criminalized shortly before the change of government."

Meanwhile, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned against any hasty decisions regarding imposing any restrictions on the party. "I think this is something that cannot be rushed into," Scholz said when asked about banning the AfD outright.

The BfV's statement comes after a new Forsa poll released last month indicated that the AfD has 26% support, ahead of Germany's Christian Democrats (25%) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (15%). The AfD has continued to gain traction amid voter dissatisfaction with mainstream parties and rising concerns over immigration and the economy.

Despite the high level of support for the AfD indicated by polls, the federal election two months ago was won by the Christian Democrats, who signaled that they had no intention of cooperating with right-wing parties.

(RT.com)