German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warns against AfD access to classified information
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said the federal government is prepared to withhold classified material from any AfD minister if the far‑right party joins a state government. He warned that the party’s “proximity to Putin” and alleged Russian financing pose a security risk, stating “the proximity to Putin is not to be overlooked. The suspicion that there is money from Russia is also on the table.” Pistorius said a possible AfD absolute majority in the September Saxony‑Anhalt election would be “a very, very bad sign” for German democracy.
A weekly poll for Bild am Sonntag shows the AfD at 29 % of the vote, eight points ahead of the CDU/CSU at 21 %. The Greens’ vice‑chair Konstantin von Notz backed Pistorius, calling the AfD “the parliamentary arm of Moscow in Germany.” The party is under observation by domestic intelligence and other mainstream parties have ruled out cooperation.
The controversy highlights tensions over national security, upcoming regional elections and the broader debate on the AfD’s ties to Russia.