Interior ministers are examining the protection of secret data after the AfD election success in Saxony-Anhalt

After the AfD's election success in Saxony-Anhalt, the federal and state interior ministers want to examine the possible protection of certain secret data. Security circles said it was about protecting sources and information with connections to Russia if necessary. However, it is also clear that relevant information that serves to prevent terrorist attacks, for example, must remain fully accessible to everyone. The “Bild” newspaper had previously reported.

She wrote that the ministers wanted to keep the AfD away from secret data. This is the result of an internal switching conference on Tuesday, to which Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD) invited. He is currently chairman of the conference of state interior ministers and senators.

According to information from security circles, the ministers are primarily concerned with the question of the AfD's relationship with Russia and a possible impending outflow of information. The goal is not a complete shutdown of all information.

In the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday, the AfD achieved its greatest success to date with 43.8 percent. The party was able to more than double its 2021 result, but fell short of an absolute majority. In Saxony-Anhalt and four other countries, the respective Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies it as definitely right-wing extremist.

Saxony-Anhalt's AfD leading candidate Ulrich Siegmund wants to seek a majority from the other factions and individual MPs. The formation of a government is still open. If there is an AfD-led government, the Interior Ministry could also be in the hands of the AfD.

The head of the State Chancellery in Saxony-Anhalt, Rainer Robra (CDU), rejects considerations of cutting off the country from security-relevant information in the event of the AfD taking over government. “I cannot imagine how the cooperation between the states required by constitutional law is supposed to work if the state of Saxony-Anhalt is excluded from domestic or defense policy information,” Robra told the editorial network Germany (RND).

“In the event of a defense, the Federal Council must also be involved, and Saxony-Anhalt’s membership there remains unrestricted in any case,” said the CDU politician. He fundamentally warned: “You cannot lead Germany out of the crisis with ever more exclusion and less and less humble respect for the decisions of voters. That would drive even more people into the arms of the AfD.”

Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens, however, described the election results in Saxony-Anhalt as a serious shock for all democrats. “The outcome of the election and the upcoming formation of a government also have the potential to become a challenge for the federal security architecture in Germany,” said the SPD politician.

The federal and state governments are in complete agreement across party lines at departmental level: “If necessary, we will make all necessary and legally permissible efforts to ensure that the ability and integrity of our security authorities to act is preserved,” said Behrens.