German Leaders Plan Security Restrictions for AfD State Government

German federal and state leaders are coordinating strategies to limit the authority of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) ahead of September 6 elections, where the party is poised to win the most votes in Saxony-Anhalt. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and other officials are exploring ways to restrict the sharing of classified intelligence with a potential AfD state government, citing the party's ties to Vladimir Putin as a national security risk.

Proposed measures range from legislative changes to prevent the AfD from vetoing judicial appointments and educational funding to more extreme options, such as a federal takeover of state police under the Constitution's free democratic order clause. In Thuringia, Interior Minister Georg Maier is coordinating efforts among state ministers to specifically restrict access to security information.

Responses to these plans are divided. Governor of Saxony-Anhalt Sven Schulze has opposed changing rules to single out the AfD, while the AfD characterizes these efforts as undemocratic attempts to thwart the will of voters. The party is currently classified as extremist by federal intelligence in Saxony-Anhalt.