German Defense Minister: AfD's Russia Ties Bar Access to Secrets

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is sounding the alarm over the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's potential rise to power. He voiced "greatest concerns" about the AfD possibly securing an absolute majority in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in September, warning it would be a "very, very bad sign" for democracy.

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The closeness to Putin cannot be overlooked. The suspicion that there is money from Russia also stands.

Pistorius specifically pointed to the AfD's perceived ties to Russia and alleged financial links to Moscow as reasons why the party should not have access to classified state information. "The closeness to Putin cannot be overlooked. The suspicion that there is money from Russia also stands," he told "Bild am Sonntag." The minister stressed that sensitive information must not fall into the wrong hands and that his ministry is actively reviewing access protocols to safeguard national security.

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I am deeply concerned about such a possible election result as a democrat.

The AfD, whose state chapters are classified as right-wing extremist by the domestic intelligence agency, is holding its party conference in Erfurt. Co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were re-elected on Saturday. Pistorius acknowledged that while he would advise soldiers to carefully consider their choices in the interest of democracy, the ultimate decision on who to vote for rests with the individual.

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Sensitive information must not fall into the wrong hands.