German federal prosecutors conducted a raid on the home and offices of Jörg Dornau, a member of the Saxon state parliament for the Alternative for Germany (AfD), on Tuesday, investigating alleged violations of European Union sanctions against Russia.
The operation, carried out by the Generalbundesanwalt (Federal Prosecutor's Office), centers on accusations that Dornau may have circumvented sanctions related to the war in Ukraine. According to the Tagesschau report, investigators seized documents and electronic devices as part of their inquiry.
The timing is significant. The AfD currently polls as Germany's second-strongest party nationally, with support hovering around 20 percent, and leads in several eastern German states including Saxony. The party has faced persistent questions about its relationships with Moscow, particularly as mainstream parties consider firewall strategies to prevent AfD participation in coalition governments at both state and federal levels.
In Germany, as elsewhere in Europe, consensus takes time—but once built, it lasts. The decision to pursue a sitting lawmaker from a major opposition party reflects the seriousness with which federal authorities view potential sanctions violations. The investigation marks an escalation from political scrutiny of AfD-Russia connections to criminal law enforcement action.
Dornau, who represents the AfD in the Saxon Landtag, has business interests that reportedly include agricultural operations. Investigators are examining whether these commercial activities may have involved transactions that violated EU embargo regulations imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The raid comes as European governments intensify enforcement of sanctions compliance. Germany, as Europe's largest economy and a key player in EU sanctions policy, has established specialized units within federal law enforcement to track potential violations. The Generalbundesanwalt typically handles cases involving state security, terrorism, and serious international crimes.
For the AfD, the investigation adds to mounting legal challenges facing the party. Germany's domestic intelligence agency classifies the AfD's Saxon branch as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization, subjecting it to surveillance. Several party figures face ongoing investigations for various offenses, while courts have upheld rulings allowing the party to be labeled "fascist" in certain contexts.
The political implications extend beyond Saxony. As mainstream parties—particularly the CDU under new Chancellor Friedrich Merz—navigate complex coalition mathematics at the state level, questions about AfD lawmakers' conduct inform debates about the sustainability of isolation strategies. In Thuringia, a fragile CDU-led coalition governs despite the AfD holding the largest legislative bloc.
Opposition politicians seized on the news. "This confirms what we have long said," noted one SPD parliamentarian. "The AfD's Russia connections are not merely ideological affinity but potentially criminal collaboration that undermines European security."
The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet filed formal charges. Under German law, parliamentary immunity can be lifted if sufficient evidence warrants prosecution. The Saxon Landtag would need to vote on any immunity waiver request from federal authorities.
Across Europe, far-right parties with historical ties to Moscow face increasing scrutiny as the Ukraine war reshapes the continent's security architecture. From France's Rassemblement National to Hungary's Fidesz, questions about Russian influence have moved from political talking points to law enforcement matters. The Dornau case represents the latest example of this pattern reaching German soil.
