Hackers steal more than 421,000 emails from Germany's AfD party

Hackers have accessed email accounts linked to members of Germany's Alternative for Germany party and reportedly stolen more than 421,000 messages, according to details confirmed by the party and reported by local media. The breach affected accounts used by the far-right party, which said the intrusion was detected and stopped. The party also said users were informed after the incident.

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The stolen material is said to include messages linked to party co-leader Alice Weidel and co-founder Alexander Gauland. A published online collection reportedly contained summaries of some emails, rather than the original messages themselves. According to the reported material, the leak also included photos of identity cards, bank statements, membership applications and membership lists from some local branches.

The party confirmed that an email service provider used by it had been targeted. It said a small number of email accounts, most of which had not been used for years, were apparently copied unlawfully. The party said it is reviewing what has been published online, while the source of the attack remains unclear.

It is also not yet known whether any additional data was compromised beyond the material already identified. The incident matters because it involves a major political party in Germany and potentially sensitive personal and membership data. Email archives can contain internal strategy, personal details and administrative records, making them valuable both for privacy breaches and for possible political exposure.

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The reported publication of identity documents and financial records raises the stakes beyond a routine account intrusion. The AfD is currently topping national opinion polls and won two state elections last month, according to the supplied material. It also recorded its biggest win in Saxony-Anhalt, where it hopes to form Germany's first far-right state government since World War II.

That political context gives the breach added significance, because any disclosure of internal communications or member records could affect the party's organisation and public standing. What remains unclear is who carried out the attack, how the stolen material was obtained and whether the published summaries reflect the full extent of the breach. The party has said it stopped the intrusion quickly, but it has not detailed the technical method used or the number of accounts affected.

The next developments will likely depend on the review of the material already published and any further findings about the attacker or attackers.

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