Germany's domestic intelligence agency recently put the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) Party under surveillance for suspected extremist links that pose a potential threat to democracy, German media outlets report. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, or BfV) would not comment on the reports because of ongoing legal action by the AfD. The Interior Ministry, which oversees the BfV, would neither confirm nor deny the news reports, but multiple German media organizations confirmed the surveillance through government sources close to the situation. On Wednesday, AfD's parliamentary leadership, which controls 88 of 709 seats in the legislative body, described the surveillance as "completely unjustified" and vowed to fight it in court. BfV's February 24 decision to classify AfD as a potential security threat is the first time in Germany's post-war history that a political party represented in Parliament has been put under … [Read more...] about German Intel Agency Puts Far-Right AfD Under Surveillance
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The Republican Trump Meltdown and the Fight Over the Democratic Party’s Future
Donald Trump in West Virginia. Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images About a decade ago, it became clear to some of us that the Republican and Democratic parties were not at all alike. The two were different, not just in their beliefs but in their methods and political style. The Republican Party was ethnically, economically, and ideologically homogenous. Democrats claimed support from racial minorities along with whites, and unions, consumer advocates, and environmentalists along with business, and moderates as well as liberals, yielding a careful balance of ideas and interests. As a virtually all-white party, whose economic support came exclusively from business and which identified conservatism as its sole legitimate ideological tradition, the Republican Party operated in a very different style. Trump’s capture of the Republican nomination is the most emphatic, but only the most recent, indication that the Republican Party’s internal culture is a total failure. Not long ago, … [Read more...] about The Republican Trump Meltdown and the Fight Over the Democratic Party’s Future
Outgoing German Spy Chief Fired for Calling Social Democrats ‘Radical Left’, Security Policy ‘Naive’
Germany’s outgoing intelligence chief has been forced into early retirement over a speech he gave in private denouncing “radical-left forces” in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition. Hans-Georg Maassen had been set to take up a special advisory role in the interior ministry after left-wing political pressure saw him fired from his role as chief of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in September. But on Monday, Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced he had retired the veteran civil servant from all offices with immediate effect, asserting Maassen had “crossed a line” with comments made during a farewell speech to intelligence chiefs in October, which was leaked to the German media. Speaking at a closed-door meeting in Warsaw, the 55-year-old had defended his assessment that there was no real evidence to back claims that right-wing participants in protests in Chemnitz against migrant violence had engaged in “hunts” of people who looked … [Read more...] about Outgoing German Spy Chief Fired for Calling Social Democrats ‘Radical Left’, Security Policy ‘Naive’
The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Lawmakers face Capitol threat as senators line up votes for relief bill
Presented by Facebook Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Today is Thursday! We get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the co-creators. Readers can find us on Twitter @asimendinger and @alweaver22. Please recommend the Morning Report to friends and let us know what you think. CLICK HERE to subscribe! Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported each morning this week: Monday, 513,091; Tuesday, 514,657; Wednesday, 516,608; Thursday, 518,453. Senate Democrats on Wednesday took a scalpel to President Biden Joe Biden The West needs a more collaborative approach to Taiwan Abbott's medical advisers were not all consulted before he lifted Texas mask mandate House approves George Floyd Justice in Policing Act MORE ’s $1.9 trillion relief bill hoping to surgically ensure enough support from centrists this week to clear the measure, … [Read more...] about The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Lawmakers face Capitol threat as senators line up votes for relief bill
German Intelligence Admits Spying On Identitarian Movement
The head of the German domestic intelligence agency has confirmed that his agents are spying on the anti-mass migration Identitarian youth movement. In a new revelation the chief of the Agency for the Protection of the Constitution, the German domestic spy agency, Hans-Georg Maassen has confirmed that his agents are actively spying on the hipster right wing movement. According to Mr Maasen, the movement is now active enough in real world protests to warrant being put on a government watch list. The intelligence chief also claimed that they had, “evidence of efforts against the free democratic basic order,” The intelligence chief also claimed that they had “evidence of efforts against the free democratic basic order,” reports Zeit Online . Part of the reason the intelligence services have a keen interest in the Identitarians, according to Mr Maasen, is their attitude toward Islamisation and toward mass migration. “Immigrants from the Middle East who are Islamic are defamed … [Read more...] about German Intelligence Admits Spying On Identitarian Movement