German police chief warns of security risks if AfD gains state power

Germany’s head of criminal police, Holger Münch, has warned of potential threats to the country’s security if the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party gains control of state governments following elections in 2026.

Münch said one of the main risks would be the party’s potential access to confidential data and protected information, which could undermine interagency cooperation and the functioning of state institutions, according to the German news outlet dpa. 

“What risks exist and how can they be addressed? The party could gain access to confidential data and information that must be protected, which would affect interagency cooperation,” the police chief said. He added that this does not imply the complete destruction of documents, but rather the need to reconsider how openly information is handled online.

Five state elections are scheduled to take place in Germany in 2026, including in the eastern states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, where AfD is polling at around 40%, according to surveys.

The AfD, founded in 2013 as Eurosceptic, has shifted rightward, emphasising anti-immigration and nationalist policies. In May 2025, Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV) classified the national AfD as a "confirmed right-wing extremist endeavor" based on a 1,100-page report citing racist, anti-Muslim, and anti-constitutional elements. This enables expanded surveillance (e.g., informants, communication intercepts). The classification was temporarily suspended pending court review after AfD's lawsuit, but concerns persist.

By Khagan Isayev