Food - AfD continues party conference
The AfD continued their federal party conference in Essen. On the second day of the meeting, there are discussions about the foreign policy direction of the party, particularly regarding Russia's aggression against Ukraine. In a resolution, which Alice Weidel also supports, it is stated that Germany should emancipate itself more strongly from US foreign policy. The demand is for an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.
On the agenda is also a motion to create the position of a secretary-general in the AfD executive board. However, this should only be possible from 2025, according to the motion. The new executive board, which was elected on Saturday at the party conference, will be in office until 2026. The delegates cleared this agenda item with a re-election of Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla at the party leadership faster than expected.
Massive protests against party conference
After massive protests against the party conference on Saturday, it was quiet around the Essen Grugahalle on a rainy Sunday morning at first. At a vigil in sight of the Grugahalle, around 150 people participated according to estimation of a dpa reporter in the morning. The organizer was the Essen says no alliance.
On Saturday, tens of thousands protested against the AfD party conference. There were also violent incidents, according to police reports, 28 officers were injured, one of them seriously.
Large groups of people with several hundred participants tried repeatedly through violent actions to prevent the delegates from participating or to break through barricades, the police reported on Saturday evening. "In the context of these violent actions, our colleagues had to use batons and tear gas again." Demonstrators also suffered injuries, for example from pepper spray. Some delegates were led to the Grugahalle under police protection on foot, harassed by Demonstrators.
- Despite the ongoing discussions at the AfD party conference in Essen regarding their foreign policy direction, particularly towards Ukraine, protests against the event continued to be a prominent feature.
- During the AfD Federal Party Conference, a resolution was proposed and supported by Alice Weidel, suggesting Germany should move towards more independence from US foreign policy, including an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine.
- As part of the AfD party conference agenda, a motion was put forward to establish the position of a secretary-general in the party's executive board from 2025.
- The new executive board, elected during the party conference on Saturday, will serve until 2026, following a rapid re-election of Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla to their leadership positions.
- Large-scale demonstrations against the AfD party conference took place in Essen on Saturday, resulting in several injuries to police officers and demonstrators, as reported by authorities.
- Protests against the AfD party conference in North Rhine-Westphalia included attempts by groups of people to disrupt the conference or harm delegates, with some needing to be escorted to the conference venue under police protection.
