Wilfried Peters takes over the management of the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution!

Wilfried Peters takes over the management of the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution!

After a tranquil summer weekend, a personality is now causing a stir in political Brandenburg: Wilfried Peters is the new head of the Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The committed lawyer, who previously worked as Vice President of the Berlin Administrative Court, has taken on this important responsibility, especially at a time when the challenges posed by radicalization and extremism are increasing rapidly. Like Deutschlandfunk reported, the decision for Peters was made unanimously by Interior Minister Wilke in the Potsdam cabinet in mid-June.

What has further divided the situation are the disagreements that existed between his predecessor, Jörg Müller, and the former Interior Minister Lange. These conflicts revolved primarily around the classification of the AfD as firmly right-wing extremist, which sparked an explosive political discussion. Müller was accused of not informing Lange about the dangerous developments in a timely manner, which ultimately led to her resignation.

Right-wing extremism in tune with the times

With Peters at the helm, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution will have to continue to monitor right-wing extremist tendencies in Brandenburg. The AfD youth organization “Junge Alternative” (JA) is particularly in focus. The Brandenburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution has already classified it as definitely right-wing extremist. Interior Minister Stübgen announced that the JA represents positions that fundamentally contradict the Basic Law and pose a serious threat to democracy, such as this FAZ reported. At a time when 730 members of the AfD have been classified as right-wing extremists, the JA, with its 4,300 members, occupies a worrying position.

But it's not just the JA that stands out. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has also targeted other groups, such as the Fürstenwalde Islamic Center, which has connections to Islamist terrorist groups and propagates anti-Semitic narratives. Such developments show how important Peters’ role is in combating extremist ideas.

Capacity and increasing danger

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is facing enormous challenges. At the end of 2024, the potential number of people in the right-wing extremist scene in Germany numbered over 50,000, an increase of almost 25% compared to the previous year. The number of violent right-wing extremists has also increased, making it clear that the security situation is worsening. A total of 37,835 right-wing extremist crimes were registered in 2024, an alarming increase of 47.4% compared to the previous year, according to the website of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution executes.

The networking of these extremist groups is another problem child. The Junge Alternative in particular uses social media and events to spread their ideology. There are also violent people among the members, which increases the pressure on the security authorities to take action.

The new leadership under Peters will not only be required to solve the internal problems surrounding the AfD, but also to effectively combat the constant increase in extremism and violence in Brandenburg. A tricky job that requires civil society and the state to work together to combat extremism and defend the values ​​of our democracy.