Marco Rubio criticises Germany, foreign ministry hits back

Agencies Berlin

Germany's foreign ministry hit back at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he criticised the decision to classify the Alternative for Germany party as a "right-wing extremist" organisation.

The spat deepened Friday to embroil the foreign office, Rubio, US Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk. It also occurred at a complicated time for Germany - just days before the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Nazi Germany's unconditional capitulation.

Plus, a coalition deal between the centre-right and centre-left parties was just approved, and now parliament is set to vote next week to elect conservative leader Friedrich Merz as the country's new chancellor.Merz has not commented publicly on the intelligence service's decision.

‘Disregards human dignity’ Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution described the party, known as AfD, as a threat to the country's democratic order, saying it "disregards human dignity" - in particular by what it called "ongoing agitation" against refugees and migrants.

The German domestic intelligence service's move to classify the AfD, which placed second in national elections in February, as a right-wing extremist group means its officials can now use informants and other tools such as audio and video recordings to monitor its activities nationwide.

But it also risks fuelling the party's claims of political persecution. Far-right parties have been gaining ground across Europe and the AfD attracts international attention, including support from Musk, who is a close ally of US President Donald Trump.

Party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla on Friday condemned the move as "a severe blow to German democracy," given that the party has grown into one of the country's most popular political forces. They alleged that it was politically motivated, a claim the government denies.