Germany's Social Democrats consider proposal to ban far-right AfD

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) plans to move forward with efforts to ban the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), with a motion expected to be passed at the close of its three-day federal party conference in Berlin on Sunday.

The motion calls on relevant constitutional bodies to lay the groundwork for filing a case to declare the anti-immigrant AfD unconstitutional.

"Now is the time for the constitutional bodies entitled to do so to create the conditions for immediately filing a motion to determine the unconstitutionality of the AfD," the text reads.

The centre-left party's co-chair, Bärbel Bas, signaled support on Friday, saying: "We should now really clarify very quickly whether there is sufficient material to have the AfD's unconstitutionality examined by the Federal Constitutional Court."

If such evidence exists, she added, "then we as the SPD have a democratic duty to make every effort to ensure that a motion to ban the party can be brought forward."

The AfD, known for its anti-immigration, anti-Muslim, eurosceptic and nationalist rhetoric, has been a flashpoint in German politics for over a decade.

In recent years, the party has gained ground by capitalizing on economic discontent and growing unease over immigration. It is now Germany's largest opposition party.

Calls to ban the AfD intensified after Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), reclassified the party in May as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" group, enabling expanded surveillance.

However, the designation was suspended pending a legal challenge by the AfD, and the agency will treat the party as a "suspected" case until the Cologne administrative court makes a judgement.