German Intelligence Reports 40% Increase in AfD Members Potentially Linked to Far-Right Extremism

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) and the interior ministry revealed in a Tuesday report that the number of Alternative for Germany (AfD) members deemed potentially extremist has risen by 40%, reaching approximately 28,000 out of the party’s 70,000 members. The 2025 assessment found no evidence of moderation in AfD positions scrutinized by intelligence services, with concerns centered on rhetoric and activities conflicting with democratic principles.

The AfD, currently leading in national polls, is also poised to secure its first regional victory in Saxony-Anhalt during the September election. The party rejects extremism accusations, labeling the intelligence assessments as politically biased.

The BfV defines extremism as actions or ideologies threatening Germany’s democratic constitutional order. The report highlighted the AfD’s adherence to ethnic ancestry-based nationalism, deemed unconstitutional by courts, and cited controversial remarks by Thuringia leader Bjoern Hoecke about UN resettlement policies as indicative of “population replacement” rhetoric.

Analysts noted a trend toward “ideological homogenisation” within the AfD, with liberal-conservative voices less visible in public discourse. The report emphasized right-wing extremism as the foremost threat to German democracy, warning of rising youth engagement, online radicalization, and increased violence among extremist groups.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stressed the dual challenge of internal extremist pressures in digital and physical spaces. The BfV also identified external risks, including Russian sabotage and espionage activities.

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