German govt may withhold classified info from states if far-right start winning

German govt may withhold classified info from states if far-right start winning State govt powers include intelligence services activities. The far-right – with ties to Moscow – in Saxony-Anhalt could soon win a majority German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Sunday that the federal government is considering withholding information from ministers in state administrations if they are formed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD is regularly criticised for close ties to Moscow. Polls indicate that the AfD could win an absolute majority in a state election in September in Saxony-Anhalt, meaning that it would form a state government for the first time. Under Germany’s federal system, state governments have broad powers in many areas, including the activities of the police and intelligence services. When asked by the Bild daily whether an AfD state government would have consequences for army bases in those states, Pistorius said: “We are looking very closely at the question of whom we can grant access to classified information.” He added: “We are obliged to do so because it is about the security of our country.” Pistorius, who belongs to the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), said he would feel uneasy passing classified information on to an AfD state minister. [Image text:] Nein! WESTSCHLAN