Germany’s Foreign Ministry has responded forcefully to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's criticism of the country's decision to classify the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party as a 'right-wing extremist' organization.

Germany’s Foreign Minister sharply rebuked U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he referred to the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as an “extremist group.” Rubio criticized the German government’s decision to expand its domestic intelligence agency’s powers to increase surveillance of local groups,