German intelligence services had classified both the party and its youth organization, Jung Alternative (JA), as suspected right-wing extremist groups.
A lower administrative court in Cologne, where the intelligence services are based, confirmed this assessment in 2022, allowing the office to monitor th party as a suspected case.
However, the party appealed against the decision, which has now been upheld by the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia, based in Münster.
The decision is not yet legally binding. While the Münster court did not grant permission for an appeal, the AfD could submit an application for authorization to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.
The AfD's signature issue is a staunch anti-immigration stance, and the part is capitalizing on growing concern among many German voters over the rising number of asylum seekers in the country.
The party is getting about 20 percent of the vote nationally amid widespread dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition.
sd/svn
A lower administrative court in Cologne, where the intelligence services are based, confirmed this assessment in 2022, allowing the office to monitor th party as a suspected case.
However, the party appealed against the decision, which has now been upheld by the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia, based in Münster.
The decision is not yet legally binding. While the Münster court did not grant permission for an appeal, the AfD could submit an application for authorization to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.
The AfD's signature issue is a staunch anti-immigration stance, and the part is capitalizing on growing concern among many German voters over the rising number of asylum seekers in the country.
The party is getting about 20 percent of the vote nationally amid widespread dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition.
sd/svn
