Germany’s parliament has refused security clearances for at least four employees of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, citing concerns they could engage in anti-constitutional activities.
“For all rejected applicants, it appeared possible that access to parliament premises with a building pass could be misused for anti-constitutional purposes,” the Bundestag administration said in a statement. It added there were “concrete indications” that such activities could undermine the functioning and security of parliament.
An AfD parliamentary group spokesperson told the newspaper Die Zeit that three staff members were denied new access passes, while a fourth lost their IT system authorisation.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of AfD’s ties to extremist networks. In 2022, former AfD lawmaker Birgit Malsack-Winkemann was arrested alongside other members of the far-right group “Patriotic Union.” Prosecutors said the network, which included ex-military and police officers, plotted violent attacks, the kidnapping of politicians, and even a storming of parliament to overthrow the government.
The AfD, which has surged in opinion polls in recent months, is already under surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency in several regions for suspected extremism. Party leaders deny allegations of anti-constitutional activity and accuse authorities of political bias.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and appointed former parliament speaker Alen Simon...
Online fast-fashion platform Shein lost a London copyright lawsuit against rival Temu on Thursday over photographs used to promote some products....
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used Pacific Fleet drills to criticise Japan, NATO and possible Western moves against Russian commercial ships. He made the comments during his first visit to Iturup, a Japan-claimed island at the end of the Kuril chain near the island of Hokkaido.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment