In a move that has shaken Germany’s political landscape, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cautioned against hastily banning the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, despite a damning new report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) labeling it as “extremist.” Scholz’s remarks, delivered on May 2, underscore the deepening political tensions in Berlin as the AfD’s popularity surges and the country prepares for a leadership transition.

Earlier that day, the BfV released a comprehensive report accusing the AfD of promoting racist, anti-migrant rhetoric and undermining Germany’s democratic values. This classification as an extremist organization allows the BfV to intensify surveillance on the party, subjecting it to the same scrutiny typically reserved for terrorist organizations like the Islamic State. The report’s findings open a legal pathway for potentially banning the AfD-a move that would mark a historic escalation in Germany’s postwar political history.

Yet Scholz, whose term is drawing to a close, urged caution. “I think this is something that cannot be rushed into,” he said when asked about the possibility of an outright ban. He reminded observers that the Federal Constitutional Court has consistently rejected similar attempts in the past, notably against the National Democratic Party (NPD), once Germany’s most infamous far-right group.

The NPD, which rebranded itself as “The Homeland” in 2023, withered under years of federal scrutiny and legal challenges but ultimately survived attempts at dissolution. It........

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