Germany rebuked Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he slammed the country’s intelligence agency for classifying the far-right political party Alternative for Germany a “proven-right wing extremist organization.

Germany's foreign office says history shows that right-wing extremism "needs to be stopped", after criticism from the White House.

The designation is certain to inflame debates over whether the party should be banned, though some polls show it to be the most popular in the country.