Fifteen thousand pages of case file, over 270 files, 100 accredited journalists and a process that is forced to take place in the foyer of the Supreme Administrative Court of Münster, because the existing courtrooms are not sufficient.

This is how German media describe the trial being held in the second instance, following the appeal brought by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) against the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

The reason is the characterization of the party, in 2021, as suspected of extreme right-wing activity by the Cologne-based Constitution Protection Service. The disputed designation provided a legal basis for German intelligence surveillance of members of the Alternative for Germany.

AfD: “Politically motivated” trial

The Münster court is also examining the individual cases of the Alternative for Germany Youth, which has also been characterized as possibly far-right, but also of the party’s nationalist “Wing”, which has been categorized by the same Service as “definitely far-right character”.

Not present in Münster are the two co-chairs of the Alternative for Germany, Alice Weidel and Tino Hrupala, citing the Plenary week in the German parliament in Berlin, but the party is represented by other top officials.

The AfD insists it is a politically motivated trial, while party representatives are trying to convince judges and society that the party’s operation is in line with the German Constitution. And all this while in the latest Deutschlandtrend poll on behalf of the public network ARD, the party recorded a small poll drop to 18% (from 20 to 22% in the previous months), although it remains firmly in second place. On the contrary, constitutionalists estimate that it is difficult to overturn the first-instance ruling that gave the Constitution Protection Agency the green light to continue its audits.

BR: 100 far-right collaborators in the Bundestag

Meanwhile, new revelations from a major journalistic investigation by the Bavarian Radio (BR) bring to light further incriminating evidence of the Alternative for Germany’s “shadow” parliamentary action.

According to the new data, which emerged from a cross-reference of information through secret service databases, approximately 100 parliamentary associates of the 78 AfD MPs allegedly had or still have far-right activity or suspected connections in this direction. The journalistic investigation reports that a total of around 500 people work directly or indirectly with elected members of the Alternative for Germany. K.O. of the party claims, however, that it employs a total of 182 parliamentary associates.

Some are even alleged to be associated with neo-Nazi groups, to be close to the controversial “Identity” movement, or to have had connections with the “Reich Citizens”, an organization considered terrorist, since it planned the overthrow of the German constitutional order by force.