Germany's intelligence service Thursday paused its extremist designation of the far-right AfD party pending a court decision on an AfD legal appeal. The designation was made May 2.

Germany's domestic spy agency BfV will temporarily refrain from classifying the Alternative for Germany party as an extremist organization, pending litigation by the AfD, a court in the western city of Cologne said on Thursday.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency will not treat the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" organization until a court settles the party's lawsuit against the classification.