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| Europe | |
| Germany news: AfD elects leaders amid massive protests | |
| 2026-07-05 | |
Germany’s far-right AfD concluded a two day meeting that saw Alice Weidel tighten her grip on the party and acted as a springboard ahead of high-stakes elections. Throughout the weekend Alice Weidel, who saw her support from members increase and placed allies in key posts, tried to rally her party around the German flag. "With black, red and gold," Weidel shouted into the hall, "we are heading into the snap federal election with our national colors. We will stake a claim to government, because we are the strongest force." Delegates waved the German flag in response. National elections are not planned until 2029, but the AfD is trying to beckon fresh elections no doubt concerned that should the economy improve they may lose support. The AfD believes it’s best chance of power in the short term is in the state of Saxony-Anhalt where it could win an outright majority in September. Such a result would send shockwaves through Germany. In his remarks, co-leader Tino Chrupalla, issued a warning to party members: "We shouldn't promise anything we can't deliver." The AfD is looking to make the transition from a protest party to a big tent party capable of wielding power. But it continues to be bogged by scandals. A sample of stories in recent weeks include the emergence of a six year-old photo of a senior figure giving a Hitler salute, while another questioned the Germanness of non-white players in the national team. The party continues to be monitored by Germany’s domestic intelligence services who contend the AfD's ethnic nationalist views are unconstitutional. AfD leadership sets sights on power Leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have reaffirmed their claim to power at the close of the party conference in Erfurt. Co-leader Tino Chrupalla told delegates: "The AfD is here to win. And we will win and we will govern." Chrupalla said the party’s immediate goal was to win state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin in September. He also said the AfD wanted to take power at the federal level in 2029. "We must finally move from opposition into government," Chrupalla said. "We are ready for it. We want to govern." ´The party's other co-leader Alice Weidel said the party would lay claim to government after the next federal election if it becomes the strongest force. Chrupalla urged party unity, warning members to prepare for "disappointments and setbacks" on the path to power. He said the AfD wanted to gain another four or five percentage points and must keep persuading voters. Weidel said the newly elected party leadership’s main task was to prepare for a possible takeover of government, including through a new basic program. The AfD has opened an eight-point lead over Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc, its closest rivals, in the latest weekly poll. The Insa survey for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper put the AfD unchanged at 29%, while the CDU/CSU slipped one point from the previous week to 21%. AfD party conference goes into second day The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party continued its conference in the eastern city of Erfurt. Delegates on Sunday focused on campaign videos for upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and city state of Berlin. Internal matters were also on the agenda, including party rules on new members and dues. Most of the crowd, which police estimated at around 31,000 people, had left by Saturday night after protesting the AfD gathering. Key decisions were finalized Saturday amid large anti-AfD demonstrations in the city. Pistorius seeks limits on AfD access to classified information Germany's defense minister, Boris Pistorius, wants to limit the far-right AfD's access to classified information if the party enters government. He says the AfD has close ties to Russia and President Vladimir Putin, which raises serious security concerns. Pistorius told German tabloid Bild that sensitive material must not end up in the wrong hands. "We are intensively examining the question of to whom we can grant access to classified information. We are already doing this. We are obliged to do so because it concerns the security of our country." The AfD, now Germany's largest opposition party, is under scrutiny by domestic intelligence agencies in several states over extremist positions. The party is aiming for a breakthrough in September regional elections, which could see it govern a federal state for the first time. | |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
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