German AfD Party Labeled Right-Wing Extremist by Western Region

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has for the first time been classified as right-wing extremist by a federal state in the west of the country, giving authorities there enhanced powers to monitor the party as a potential threat to democracy.

The northwestern region of Lower Saxony joined four states in the former communist east — where backing for the AfD is considerably stronger — which already categorized the party as right-wing extremist, according to a statement Tuesday from the government in the state capital Hanover.