• A German court temporarily suspends the AfD party's classification as extremist.
• The ruling allows the AfD to avoid increased surveillance by intelligence agencies.
• AfD party leaders celebrate the decision as a victory for democracy.

A German court ruled on February 26 that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) cannot classify the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a confirmed right-wing extremist group while it considers the party's legal challenge against this designation. This ruling temporarily halts the BfV's ability to employ broader surveillance measures against the AfD until a definitive court decision is made. The court's statement noted that thus far, evidence does not sufficiently establish an overarching extremist characterization of the party as a whole, despite identifying internal elements that could undermine Germany's democratic order, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and Le Monde.

The court's decision comes in response to a suit filed by the AfD following the BfV's initial classification of the party as a threat to Germany's democratic institutions, citing their opposition to immigration as a basis for their designation. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel called the court's decision a "major victory" for both the party and democracy itself. The ruling is seen as a significant setback for those seeking to ban the AfD, who have labeled the party as extremist and contrary to democratic values, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and Le Monde.