Party conference and protest in Essen - AfD leadership duo remains - Weidel wants to end "hippie madness"
Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are set to lead the AfD together for two more years, according to a count at the Bundesparteitag in Essen. Nearly 83 percent of the votes spoke in favor of Chrupalla, while Weidel received nearly 80 percent of the "Yes" votes. Surprisingly, there are no contentious candidacies, as was common in the early years of the AfD, for the new leadership positions.
Instead: Harmony reigns. Chrupalla proposes his "beloved" co-chair as a candidate. Weidel accepts and announces that she intends to join "with my beloved Tino" in planning for the Bundestag election campaign.
The two-day event in Essen is accompanied by massive protests and sit-ins. While Weidel criticizes the established parties and the Constitutional Protection Agency on the first day, Chrupalla appeals to his party friends to exercise more care in the future when it comes to candidate lists.
The party chairwoman's sharp language is well-received
Germany has "become a pony farm," Weidel scolds. To the address of the traffic light government, she says: "Dear government, please step down already and make way for new elections!"
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution observes the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist case - an assessment that was confirmed by the Higher Administrative Court in Münster in May. Under the applause of her party friends, Weidel scolds: "The Constitutional Protection Agency has become an enemy of the constitution, and it should be abolished in this form."
The newly enacted State Citizenship Law with shortened naturalization deadlines would cost the AfD dearly in the event of a government participation, Weidel says. The Union has also announced this. The AfD chairwoman says: "Germany is dismantling itself if we don't intervene and put an end to this hippie-like madness."
Co-chair speaks of a "trainer duo"
In her opening speech, Weidel uses a soccer metaphor and speaks of a "trainer duo" in the party leadership. Perhaps she wants to take the wind out of her party friends' sails, who suspect that she wants to push aside Co-Chair Tino Chrupalla and position herself as the candidate for the Bundestag election in 2025. A motion to abolish the co-chair position fails to gain a majority in Essen.
Some delegates face a difficult journey to the hall
Left-wing groups had announced that they intended to block the delegates' way to the party congress venue. In reality, some of them encounter difficulties in reaching the Grugahalle on time due to the massive protests and blockades. Tens of thousands of AfD opponents march through the streets of the Ruhr metropolis in the morning. The police, with several thousand officers on duty, report violent incidents from provocative demonstrators and several arrests. In a statement, it is said, "Provocateurs have attacked response teams and attempted to break through barriers." The police use pepper spray and batons. By midday, eleven injured police officers have been counted.
The Ampel Coalition accuses Weidel of escalation rhetoric regarding the war in Ukraine. "These gentlemen Ampel ministers should finally take responsibility and go to the front themselves, but keep their hands off our sons and fathers," she says. Applause greets Weidel as she says that the interests of Germany and Europe include "the fact that Ukraine does not belong to the European Union and to Europe."
The AfD had gained 15.9 percent of the votes in the European election on June 9th, but fell short of their own expectations. Reports on the Potsdam meeting of radical right-wingers, new competition from the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance, and allegations against their leading candidate, Maximilian Krah, who had been making headlines for weeks due to suspected Russia and China connections, may have contributed to this. Searches were carried out on the second candidate on the AfD European election list, Petr Bystron, on suspicion of bribery and money laundering.
The sun is rising in the east for us
Chrupalla campaigns in Essen, referring to the previous European election and calling for more professionalism in his party. "We could have gotten 20 percent," he says. His party friends also call on Chrupalla for more care in the selection of candidates. "We must examine our candidates more carefully in the future," he says. Chrupalla is confident about the state elections in Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg in September. The new and old party leader says: "The sun of government responsibility must rise for us in the east."
When the voting results are announced, he says: "I am really overwhelmed by this." At the Riesa conference two years ago, he only managed to secure a narrow majority of roughly 53 percent of the delegates. Weidel had received 67.3 percent. The AfD does not count abstentions in this.
In his speech, Chrupalla emphasizes achievements. Weidel and he had ended the internal party struggles. Today, "we are the liberal-social alternative for Germany." He also left out the membership development. Accordingly, the AfD now has 46,881 members, an increase of 17,723 members since the beginning of the year.
The delegates also discuss the future of their representatives in Brussels, following the ID Fraktion's termination of cooperation with the AfD. Weidel also speaks out against the designated new EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) and against the right-wing Italian government leader Giorgia Meloni in her speech.
Weidel commends Chrupalla's proposal, expressing her excitement to work side by side with him for the Bundestag election campaign. The harmonious atmosphere continues as discussions about the AFD's future in the European Union emerge. Weidel criticizes the EU's stance on Ukraine, sparking applause from her supporters.
During the event, chants of protest echo through the streets, led by left-wing groups who aim to disrupt the party congress. This results in tense situations, leading to several arrests and injuries among the police force. Despite these challenges, the AfD delegates manage to reach the venue and participate in the conference.
Chrupalla urges his party to focus on selecting more suitable candidates in the future, citing past mistakes as lessons learned. Weidel, on the other hand, highlights the AFD's achievements, positioning the party as the liberal-social alternative for Germany.
The AFD's internal strife has waned, and the party's membership has seen a significant increase, now numbering 46,881 members. However, tensions with EU institutions remain, as the ID Fraktion ends its cooperation with the AFD and Weidel publicly opposes the new EU Commission President and the right-wing Italian government leader.
Despite the challenges lurking in Europe's political landscape, Chrupalla is optimistic about the party's prospects in upcoming state elections, declaring that the sun of government responsibility will rise for the AFD in the east.
