Germany Archives

From Sabotage to Assassination: Russia’s Escalating War on Europe’s Defense Industry

The Italian opposition is seeking to draw the government's attention to the explosion at the KNDS Ammo Italy plant in Colleferro in the context of possible Russian sabotage. In particular,…

August 20, 2026chemical weapon, Germany, Italy, NATO, Russia

Governance influence ops Terrorism

When Radicalism Becomes Politics: The AfD, the “Saxon Separatists,” and the Threat of “Day X”

Björn Höcke, leader of the AfD’s Thuringia branch, has consistently defended three former party members who are defendants in the case involving the so-called “Saxon Separatists” (Sächsische Separatisten). Germany’s Federal…

August 17, 2026AfD, Germany

Economy Governance

From Protest to Responsibility: The Budget Deficit as a Test of AfD’s Governing Capacity

An analysis of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party program in Saxony-Anhalt identified a risk of an annual deficit of at least €2.2 billion. In total, researchers counted 136 measures…

August 12, 2026AfD, Germany

Governance

Crisis Within the BSW and the Rise of the AfD: Implications for Germany’s Political Stability and Russian Interests

Twenty-one members of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt simultaneously resigned from the party. Those leaving included members of district councils and local party leaders from Halle, Burgenlandkreis, and Mansfeld-Südharz. In…

August 10, 2026AfD, BSW, Germany

influence ops Propaganda and Disinformation

Engineering Polarization: Russia’s Hybrid Information Campaign Targeting Germany’s 2026 Elections

The dissemination of more than 180 fabricated social media posts across X, Bluesky, and TikTok ahead of Germany's upcoming state and local elections represents a coordinated Russian influence operation designed to manipulate the country's political…

August 4, 2026AfD, BSW, elections, Germany, Russia

Governance Terrorism

Defensive Democracy in Practice: Hamburg’s Constitutional Vetting and the Evolution of Germany’s Security Doctrine

Hamburg will begin screening applicants for positions in the public service through Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). If an applicant is found to have engaged…

July 21, 2026AfD, Germany

Governance National Security

Between Deterrence and Accommodation: Germany’s Security Crisis and the Strategic Implications of BSW’s “Helsinki 2.0” Proposal

According to German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, Germany faces a persistent risk of large-scale terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage that could occur at any moment. In response to this…

July 20, 2026BSW, Germany

Governance influence ops

Exploiting East–West Fault Lines: Russian Information Operations and the Political Symbolism of the Dessau-Roßlau Incident

At a party event in Dessau-Roßlau, AfD co-chair Tino Chrupalla and the party's lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, joined the audience in singing the anthem of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR).…

July 16, 2026AfD, Germany, Russia

Governance influence ops

From “Three Ukraines” to “Two Germanys”: Russian Influence Narratives and the Exploitation of Regional Identities in Europe

The statement by the leader of the Thuringia branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Björn Höcke, claiming a supposed mental and cultural “difference” between East and West Germans has…

June 12, 2026AfD, Germany, Russia

Geopolitics Intelligence ops

AfD in St. Petersburg: How the Kremlin Cultivates Political Influence Inside Germany

Four members of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) have confirmed their participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), scheduled to take place from June 3–6, 2026. The…

June 1, 2026AfD, Germany, Russia

Germany