Members of parliament and staff from the far-right “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) party, known for its pro-Russian stance, have found themselves at the center of a new scandal. According to European diplomats and German politicians, AfD members with access to a confidential EU database may be leaking sensitive information to Moscow.
As Politico reports, concern is growing in both the European Parliament and the Bundestag that AfD representatives are abusing their access to thousands of internal EU documents. The information in question relates to weapons deliveries to Ukraine, supply routes, drone air defense systems, and other security matters. Bundestag MP Anton Hofreiter of the Greens stated: “We have a party against which there are well-founded suspicions of leaking information to China or Russia.”
Such concerns are not new. As far back as late 2025, opponents accused AfD MPs of using parliamentary inquiries to collect data on Germany’s critical infrastructure — transport, energy, water supply, bridges, and anti-drone defenses — which could allegedly be of use to Russian intelligence services. Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) noted at the time that AfD’s inquiries showed “growing intensity and detail,” adding: “It gives the impression that the party is simply working through a list of Kremlin assignments.”
The conservative CDU/CSU bloc has also expressed alarm. MP Roland Theis emphasized that AfD lawmakers’ close contacts with the Russian embassy, trips to Moscow, and repetition of Russian propaganda raise serious national security concerns.
The party itself categorically denies all accusations, dismissing them as politically motivated attacks by opponents. AfD representatives insist their inquiries are solely aimed at holding power accountable and protecting the interests of German citizens.
The scandal is unfolding against the backdrop of repeated investigations into individual AfD members and aides, including previous cases involving alleged ties to Russian and Chinese intelligence services — among them the conviction of MEP Maximilian Krah’s assistant on espionage charges on behalf of China.
European diplomats warn that leaks of classified EU files could seriously undermine the alliance’s defense capabilities and assist Russia in its hybrid war. The matter is currently under scrutiny by EU affairs committees and intelligence services in several member states.