NPR

Germany Places Right-Wing Opposition Party Under Domestic Surveillance

German investigators can now cultivate informants, tap phone calls and read emails as part of its inquiry. The Alternative for Germany party says the move is politically motivated.
Alexander Gauland, a leader in Germany's right-wing AfD political party, leaves a news conference after discussing reports that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has deemed his entire party under suspicion of being a threat to the constitution.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency has put the country's largest opposition party under surveillance as a potential threat to the country's constitution, according to public broadcaster ARD and other media outlets. The move affects dozens of lawmakers who are in the right-wing Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party.

Members of the AfD, one party leader accused Chancellor Angela Merkel's government of "trying to stigmatize us and to really put us in the Nazi corner."

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
TikTok Faces Its Biggest Threat Yet; Earth Day Tips For Sustainable Living
The House passed a bill that would ban TikTok unless the China-based ByteDance sells it. These small changes will help you live more sustainably.
NPR2 min read
Oncologists' Meetings With Drug Reps Don't Help Cancer Patients Live Longer
Drug company reps commonly visit doctors to talk about new medications. A team of economists wanted to know if that helps patients live longer. They found that for cancer patients, the answer is no.
NPR2 min read
Europe Is Warming Up Faster Than Any Other Continent, And The Heat Is Deadly
The number of heat-related deaths in Europe increased 30% in the last 20 years. Climate change is to blame.

Related Books & Audiobooks