Information
Politicians from Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the eastern state of Thuringia have been accused of using parliamentary questions to gather sensitive information that could benefit Russia. The claims surfaced as AfD deputy parliamentary leader Markus Frohnmaier prepared for a controversial visit to Moscow, sparking concern among members of the federal parliament. According to Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier, AfD lawmakers have submitted 47 questions over the past year on critical infrastructure topics such as transport, water supply, and digital and energy systems. Maier suggested that the nature and depth of these questions gave the impression that AfD was following “a Kremlin order list,” targeting highly sensitive state information.
Maier, a member of the Social Democratic Party, further noted that the AfD’s inquiries often focused on police technology, including IT systems and drone defence capabilities, and that similar patterns had been observed in other German states. In response, AfD lawmaker Ringo Mühlmann rejected the accusations as “bizarre conspiracy theories,” claiming they were an attempt to criminalise political opposition and asserting that such questions are part of legitimate democratic scrutiny. The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of AfD’s ties to Russia and follows the classification of the Thuringia branch of the party as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
Source: DW, dpa, AFP
So What
While the allegations against the AfD could be legitimate, the German government should provide concrete evidence to support such serious claims, even if much of it is classified. Without transparency or verifiable proof, these accusations risk appearing politically motivated, which could further erode public trust in the government. In an already polariseds political climate, the lack of publicly available evidence may deepen scepticism toward both the authorities and the broader democratic process in Germany.
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