— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) May 2, 2025
Berlin Declares AfD a Threat to Democracy — and Rubio Fires Back
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution officially labeled AfD a danger to democratic order, citing its inflammatory rhetoric targeting migrants and refugees. The designation unlocks aggressive surveillance tools — including informants and audio/video monitoring — which can now be used against the party nationwide.
Rubio erupted online in response, accusing Berlin of weaponizing its intelligence services against political opposition. “Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy — it’s tyranny in disguise.”
Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That’s not democracy—it’s tyranny in disguise.
What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election—but rather the establishment’s deadly open border immigration policies…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 2, 2025
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JD Vance quickly followed, echoing Cold War comparisons and warning that the “Berlin Wall” was being rebuilt — not by Russia, but by Germany itself.
The AfD is the most popular party in Germany, and by far the most representative of East Germany. Now the bureaucrats try to destroy it.
The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt—not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment. https://t.co/Un6suHtSNJ
— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 2, 2025
Elon Musk, who has become a consistent AfD supporter, amplified Vance’s post with his signature cryptic flair:
“Fate loves irony.”
Musk has previously livestreamed a conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel and defended the party’s “free speech” message. His continued backing gives the party rare visibility from Silicon Valley — and more ammunition in its fight against what it calls political persecution.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla slammed the classification as an attack on democracy.
“The AfD will continue to legally defend itself against these democracy-endangering defamations,” the pair said in a joint statement Friday.
AfD’s Ties to Russia, Ukraine’s Warnings, and Rising Global Attention
The backlash comes as Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, voiced concerns over AfD’s long-standing sympathy toward Russia — especially amid the war. Berlin is Ukraine’s second-largest weapons supplier, trailing only the U.S.
AfD’s second-place showing in Germany’s February elections cemented its role as a dominant political force. Still, mainstream parties have so far upheld a “firewall”—refusing to work with them in any coalition. That firewall has drawn growing criticism from figures like Vance, who accused Europe’s establishment of labeling dissent as “disinformation.”
“To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words… who simply don’t like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion,” Vance said in a speech earlier this year at the Munich Security Conference.
With the war in Ukraine grinding on, Europe facing a rise in far-right momentum, and U.S. political figures openly clashing with Berlin, the AfD controversy has officially gone international — and isn’t slowing down.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
