German Censorship Highlights Europe's Eroding Free Speech Protections

There's a lot to dislike about Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the nativist–populist party that came in second in the country's recent election, but the party's battles against government suppression of its efforts to recruit supporters and criticize rivals aren't among them. Then again, members of the AfD aren't alone in being targeted for voicing disapproved ideas; across Germany, the U.K., and elsewhere in Europe, declining respect for liberal norms is breeding censorship and arrests for offending politicians.

State Surveillance of the Main Opposition Party

"Germany's spy agency BfV has labeled the entirety of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an extremist entity," the German state-owned Deutsche Welle reported May 2. "The designation gives authorities greater powers to monitor the party, with measures such as intercepting phone calls and using undercover agents."