Berlin Will Restrict The AdG's Access To A 1,000-page Classified Plan For Repelling An Attack By The Russian Federation
- 23.09.2026, 7:59
Other access points will also be restricted.
The German federal government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is preparing to restrict the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s access to the classified “Operation Plan,” created by the military in case of a Russian invasion.
This was reported by The New York Times.
The Secret “OpPlan”
The NYT article states that as early as 2024, the German military developed a 1,000-page secret plan to repel Russia in the event of a possible invasion.
The AfD, which won the election in the small eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, may not be granted access to this document due to its pro-Russian stance. In other words, the Merz government fears that the AfD will disclose the secret plan to Moscow.
ADH Outrage
At the same time, the winners of the election in Saxony-Anhalt are dissatisfied with Berlin’s intentions to withhold this information from them.
“It would be completely undemocratic and impossible to justify to voters the withholding of intelligence information from a party based on unfounded and unproven accusations,” said a spokesperson for the “Alternative for Germany” party York Herrmann.
The AfD plans to restrict other types of access as well
The NYT reports that the pro-Russian AfD plans to block other types of access to certain information. Specifically, this involves, among other things, blocking access to intelligence data regarding Russian maneuvers in Europe.
At the same time, the party will be allowed to view other intelligence data necessary to prevent terrorist attacks.
They also intend to prohibit the AdG from accessing intelligence files related to the party and to restrict access to investigations into the party’s activities involving far-right extremists in Saxony-Anhalt, which is under federal supervision.
Democracy Under Threat
The newspaper article states that these plans are intensifying the debate among Germans about how best to protect their postwar democratic system, which was designed after the defeat of Nazism to make it more difficult for extremist groups to seize power again.
Officials in Merz’s national government—a coalition led by his conservative Christian Democratic Party—want to restrict the “Alternative for Germany” party’s access to classified information, as they consider it an extremist group.
This is also an attempt to reassure Germany’s allies, who have expressed deep concern to Berlin about “Alternative for Germany’s” growing ties with Moscow, the NYT added.