European Parliament moves to ban AfD's EU party group

A European Parliament watchdog is pushing to strip the Europe of Sovereign Nations party — which includes Germany's AfD — of its EU funding and official status. The move marks the latest escalation in scrutiny of far-right groups operating within EU institutions. The outcome could significantly weaken the AfD's influence at the European level.

The Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), the European Parliament party grouping that serves as the political home of Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), is facing a potentially devastating blow after a parliamentary watchdog body moved to strip it of both EU funding and its official recognition as a European party.

What Is at Stake

Losing official party status in the European Parliament would deny the ESN access to millions of euros in EU funding that registered European parties receive annually. It would also limit the group's ability to campaign across member states and undermine its institutional standing ahead of future elections. For the AfD, which has grown into one of Germany's most prominent political forces, such a move would deal a serious blow to its ambitions for broader European influence.

A Pattern of Far-Right Scrutiny

The push against ESN is the latest in a series of moves by mainstream European institutions to curtail the reach of far-right parties operating within the EU framework. Regulators and watchdog bodies have increasingly scrutinised whether such parties comply with the democratic values and financial transparency rules required to maintain EU recognition. The AfD itself has faced mounting controversies domestically and internationally, including disputes over links to Russian influence and allegations of extremist rhetoric.

Political analysts note that the timing of the watchdog's action reflects growing concern among centrist and left-leaning EU lawmakers about the normalisation of far-right parties within EU structures. Whether the effort to formally ban or defund ESN will succeed remains to be seen, as such processes often involve lengthy legal and procedural battles within European institutions.