Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that simply banning the far-right Alternative for Germany would not end the groundswell of support for it, noting it was key instead to fight the causes.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Germany's decision to classify the Alternative for Germany party as an "extremist" entity is a restrictive measure against European non-mainstream forces. Germany's domestic intelligence agency classified the AfD as an extremist entity that threatens democracy,