Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has voiced her disapproval of remarks allegedly made by US Vice President JD Vance concerning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

While attending the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Vance reportedly encouraged mainstream German political parties to engage with the AfD.

“Ultimately, the decision regarding the German parliamentary elections rests solely with the German electorate, just as it does in any democracy,” Baerbock stated during her address at the MSC on Friday.

“We are fortunate to live in a democracy,” the top German diplomat continued. “This is a point worth reiterating, especially in today’s world, where many individuals are sacrificing their lives for the right to vote freely.”

In a Friday interview with The Wall Street Journal, Vance expressed his intention to inform European leaders at the MSC of the need to acknowledge the rise of anti-establishment politics. He also aimed to encourage German politicians to collaborate with all parties, including the anti-immigration AfD.

At a Friday press conference, German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit remarked that outsiders should refrain from interfering in the internal matters of a friendly nation, as they might not fully grasp the nuances of Germany’s political discourse.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) is currently monitoring the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist organization, with several state-level party branches already categorizing it as such.

Currently, the far-right party ranks second in national polls, capturing around 20% of public support as the February 23 elections approach.

Earlier this month, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) controversially gained a majority for an anti-immigration proposal with the backing of AfD votes.

This action was perceived as a breach of the traditional “firewall” in German politics, where established democratic parties typically refuse any cooperation with extremist right factions.

As a result, there have been widespread protests in various cities, with hundreds of thousands of individuals taking to the streets.