Brussels watchdog moves to strip AfD-linked EU party of funding and status

The European Parliament's political party authority has initiated proceedings to ban the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, which is closely associated with Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party. The group could lose both its official party status and its EU funding. This marks a significant move against far-right political forces operating within EU institutions.

A Brussels-based regulatory watchdog has launched formal proceedings that could result in the Europe of Sovereign Nations — the EU-level political party aligned with Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) — being stripped of its official status and cut off from European Union funding.

The Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations, which oversees the registration and financing of pan-European political groupings, initiated the action against the Europe of Sovereign Nations party. If the proceedings succeed, the group would lose both its recognition as an official EU political party and access to the public funding that comes with that designation.

The Europe of Sovereign Nations was established as the AfD's vehicle at the European level following the 2024 European Parliament elections, in which the AfD secured a significant bloc of seats. The group attracted MEPs from several EU member states who share a broadly Eurosceptic and nationalist political platform.

The move represents one of the most direct institutional challenges yet to far-right party structures operating within the EU's own legislative body. EU-level party registration confers not only legitimacy but also substantial financial resources, making the potential ban a serious blow to the group's operational capacity.

No final decision has been issued yet, and the party will have the opportunity to respond to the watchdog's concerns before any sanctions are applied. The outcome of the proceedings is expected to be closely watched across Europe, given the broader debate about how democratic institutions should respond to political parties that critics argue undermine the values the EU is founded upon.