The German domestic intelligence service has temporarily withdrawn its decision to classify the far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) as a confirmed extremist organization, "Politico" reports.
Just six days after the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) announced that it had "irrefutable evidence" that the AfD seeks to undermine the democratic order in the country, the agency notified the administrative court in Cologne that it would suspend the classification while the legal proceedings are ongoing.
Until the case is concluded, the party will only be monitored as a "suspicious case" - a category that allows intelligence activities against the far-right formation, but under stricter judicial control.
The sharp change in the position of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution comes after the AfD filed an urgent complaint, accusing the outgoing government of a political attack aimed at defaming the party days before the new cabinet of Friedrich Merz took office.
In its court opinion, the intelligence service did not indicate specific reasons for withdrawing the decision.
The initial classification, based on a 1,000-page internal analysis, was unprecedented - never before had a party with full representation in the Bundestag been officially declared a far-right extremist organization. This would have allowed the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution to expand its surveillance of the party, including through the use of informants.
The setback is likely to intensify the political debate over whether the AfD, which currently tops national opinion polls, should be officially banned.
For its part, the AfD describes the decision by the services as an attempt to discredit it amid a changing political landscape in the country.
"We will continue to fight in court," said the party's co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Hrupal.