Germany

The regional branch of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will henceforth be designated as an “extremist group” in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the state intelligence service has decided. The decision, according to the head of the intelligence service, Jochen Hollmann, was taken after officials reviewed a series of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim remarks by elected AfD politicians. Specifically, the official designation means that the authorities will have expanded powers to monitor and supervise the party in the state. The AfD is the main opposition party in the state’s parliament. /ritzau/dpa/