On July 5, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, ahead of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, warned about the possibility of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) joining regional governments, saying that any ministers from the party should not be granted access to classified security information.
In an interview with the newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Pistorius stressed the government's responsibility to protect classified information, saying: "We are already seriously examining who should be allowed access to this information, because it concerns national security."
Referring to the possibility of AfD members receiving access to sensitive information, he added: "It is enough to look at the public positions of many leading figures in this party. Their closeness to Vladimir Putin cannot be ignored, and there have also been allegations that they received money from Russia." He emphasized: "It is clear that such a situation must not be allowed to happen."
The German defense minister also described the possibility of a decisive AfD victory in the September 6 state election in Saxony-Anhalt as "deeply concerning," arguing that the party has made its attitude toward democracy unmistakably clear.
Pistorius warned that the AfD's rise to power could have serious negative consequences for democracy.
Asked about soldiers who support the AfD, he replied: "I would tell them to think carefully about the future of democracy. In the end, however, every individual's vote is a personal decision."
Pistorius's remarks coincided with the conclusion of the AfD's party congress in Erfurt, where Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were re-elected as the party's co-leaders.
