German security authorities are debating whether to restrict the sharing of secret information with state governments led by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) or the Left Party. This internal discussion follows recent election victories by both parties in Saxony-Anhalt and Berlin.

Politicians and former security officials fear confidential information could leak to Moscow if shared with an AfD-led government in Saxony-Anhalt. They also fear confidential information could leak to groups investigated for organized crime links if shared with a Left Party-led government in Berlin. Alexander Hoffmann, head of the parliamentary group of the Christian Social Union, said the concerns involve information relating to organized crime in Berlin and issues concerning Russia in Saxony-Anhalt.

Hendrik Wuest, the CDU state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, called for a special federal and state committee to consider information-sharing with an AfD-led government. Officials are concerned that security officials involved in investigating the AfD could be targeted by a future AfD-led administration. Several of the AfD's state party branches have been designated as far-right extremist groups by domestic security authorities. The local branch of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is designated as right-wing extremist by the local office of the domestic intelligence agency.

The AfD rejects accusations that it is allied to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating it seeks to avoid war and opposes German military support for Ukraine. The party accuses the intelligence services of political interference regarding their extremist designations. An AfD spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the party has been confronted with such speculation and accusations for many years, yet the other side has failed to produce a single piece of evidence. The other main parties in Saxony-Anhalt have ruled out cooperating with the AfD.

The Left Party leaders have stated they consider unacceptable any association with clan structures in Kurdish, Lebanese, and Palestinian communities in Berlin involved in organized crime. The party rejects accusations of antisemitism. Left Party representatives say terms such as clan-related crime often stigmatize entire ethnic communities. A Left Party member of the federal parliament acknowledged social media contacts with a family member accused of involvement with criminal groups.

The Left Party is likely to try to form a coalition with the Social Democrats and the Greens in Berlin. The Social Democrats and the Greens have demanded that the Left Party take action to eliminate antisemitism from its ranks. A security official who spoke on condition of anonymity said preparations are under way, but people are still waiting to see what happens because it is not clear whether the AfD and the Left will form governments at all.

Timeline

On September 6, 2026, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won a plurality of the vote in the Saxony-Anhalt state election. On the same day, Franck Allisio, a National Rally lawmaker, stated on television channel LCI that his party had real problems with the AfD on both style and substance and did not consider them allies in Germany. Also on September 6, 2026, the AfD fell three seats short of an absolute majority in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament.

On September 20, 2026, the Left Party came first in the Berlin state election. Franck Allisio said on LCI that his party had real problems with the AfD on both style and substance and did not consider them to be allies in Germany.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that the Left Party's 2026 election platform explicitly proposed restrictions on the authority of police and domestic intelligence agencies, citing concerns about overreach and surveillance. A 2026 report noted that the Left Party's Berlin campaign program called for the abolition of the Berlin state intelligence agency and its replacement with a transparent, democratically controlled body. A 2026 GermanPolicy.com article reported that the Left Party's Berlin branch has been linked to social media interactions with individuals associated with criminal clans.

Further context includes a 2026 report stating that the AfD's Saxony-Anhalt branch was designated as right-wing extremist by the local intelligence agency in 2024. In international reactions, Sarah Knafo, a leading Reconquest MEP, posted on X that European peoples have shown patience and now want to take their destiny back into their own hands, asserting that an entire continent is rising up. Franck Allisio, a National Rally lawmaker, stated on television channel LCI on September 6 that his party had real problems with the AfD on both style and substance and did not consider them allies in Germany.

Sarah Knafo said on X that European peoples have shown a great deal of patience, that today they want to take their destiny back into their own hands, and that an entire continent is rising up.

Why It Matters

The debate over intelligence sharing reflects broader concerns about the integrity of state security apparatuses when led by parties viewed as hostile to existing democratic norms or aligned with foreign adversaries. Senior figures in the ruling coalition state that the AfD and the Left Party could pose risks to confidential information. The situation mirrors precedents such as the limits European allies imposed on intelligence sharing after Austria's Freedom Party joined a coalition government in 2017, citing concerns about Russian influence.

The stakes involve not only the potential leakage of sensitive data to Moscow or criminal organizations but also the operational capacity of security services to prevent terrorist attacks. Security services are considering restrictions on information sharing but do not want to cut off all sharing, citing indications of potential terrorist attacks. The outcome of these debates will determine how federal and state security agencies coordinate in regions where traditional coalition partners have excluded the winning parties from government formation.