• Germany's Foreign Ministry defends its classification of the AfD as a right-wing extremist party.
• Marco Rubio labeled the surveillance powers as a form of tyranny.
• The controversy occurs close to significant anniversaries and political changes in Germany.
• Ukraine’s ambassador expressed concern over AfD's ties to Russia.
• High-profile supporters from the U.S. are backing the AfD amid rising far-right sentiments in Europe.

Germany's Foreign Ministry recently hit back at U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he criticized the decision to classify the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a "right-wing extremist" organization. This conflict intensified during a politically sensitive time, just days before the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and Nazi Germany's capitulation. A coalition agreement between center-right and center-left parties had just been approved, with parliament set to vote soon on electing conservative leader Friedrich Merz as the new chancellor, although Merz has not publicly commented on the intelligence service's ruling, according to HuffPost.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the AfD as a threat to Germany's democratic order, claiming the party "disregards human dignity" and engages in "ongoing agitation" against refugees and migrants. The classification, which allows intelligence officials to use informants and surveillance methods to monitor the AfD, could potentially amplify claims of political persecution made by the party, which has gained considerable support in recent elections, putting second in national polls in February. This move occurs amid broader concerns regarding the growing influence of far-right parties across Europe, according to Los Angeles Times and India Times.

Rubio criticized this classification, asserting that "Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition." He argued that this represents not democracy, but "tyranny in disguise," claiming that the real threat comes from the government’s immigration policies that the AfD opposes. The German Foreign Ministry countered his claims by arguing that the decision was the result of a "thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law," emphasizing that independent courts would ultimately decide on the matter, according to Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, and India Times.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk have also engaged in the controversy, with Vance referring to the AfD as the "most popular party in Germany" and suggesting that efforts to diminish its influence signify a return to oppressive bureaucratic measures reminiscent of the Cold War. Musk, a notable supporter of the AfD, echoed Vance's sentiments and highlighted the irony of the situation. This aligns with the AfD's leaders' assertions that the government's actions are politically motivated, which the German government firmly denies, according to HuffPost, India Times, and Los Angeles Times.

There are broader implications as Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, voiced concerns about the AfD's connections to Russia, particularly in context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasizing that Berlin remains a crucial weapons supplier to Ukraine, second only to the United States. This adds another layer of complexity to the already charged political atmosphere, as the AfD historically holds stances that are critical of Germany's aid to Ukraine, reports HuffPost and Los Angeles Times.