Chrupalla does not defend itself against General Secretary
At the Essen party conference, the AfD is set to receive a new position: a Secretary-General, who is supposed to ensure the party's professionalization in the future. This plan targets AfD leader Tino Chrupalla, but it won't take effect until 2025.
A day before the AfD party conference in Essen, party leader Tino Chrupalla openly expressed his support for a new structure in the party leadership. In response to a question about introducing a Secretary-General in his party, Chrupalla told ZDF: "I don't see it skeptically. It's a proposal I gave even two years ago (...)."
At this weekend's party conference, a motion will be voted on regarding a Secretary-General in the event that there is only one chairman or chairwoman in the future. So far, Chrupalla and Alice Weidel have led the AfD as a co-chairmanship. The duo is also standing for re-election at this conference. However, the party statutes already allow for only one chairman - or a chairwoman, in which case Weidel would have better chances than Chrupalla.
It is considered unlikely that the single leadership will be decided at this party conference, but it is not impossible. During the chaotic party conference in Riesa two years ago, Chrupalla only received about 53% of the delegate votes in his re-election; Weidel received 67%. Since then, the mood in the AfD has not improved. The relatively successful, but still problematic European election campaign is mainly attributed to Chrupalla.
"I would also support that"
Chrupalla told ZDF that it is part of a party's professionalization to discuss changes in the coming two or three years. "I think that's legitimate and I would also support that," he said. He was not against a shift to a single leadership. "No, I'm not against that," he replied. At the conference, it will also be discussed whether the Secretary-General could be accompanied by two chairpersons. In addition, the statute change will only take effect in 2025.
Weidel had already explained on ntv's Thursday morning news that she supported the motion that provides for the creation of a Secretary-General. She emphasized that this motion "would not affect this election at all." "I personally find this motion very sensible," she said, "it's a contribution to the professionalization of the party." However, "I personally would like to continue leading the AfD together with Tino Chrupalla in the co-chairmanship for this conference."
The attack on Chrupalla has been postponed.
After a report from "Stern" newspaper, the application is backed by the network surrounding Bundestag deputy Sebastian Münenmaier. "The attack on Weidel's co-chair Tino Chrupalla, which many network members have never publicly presented before, is likely to be postponed," the "Stern" states. The reason: the state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg, which are scheduled for September. In the long term, the Münenmaier network wants to transform the AfD into a party similar to the French Rassemblement national of Marine Le Pen. Then, Weidel would represent the AfD externally, while someone like Münenmaier would run the operational business – similar to the work division of Le Pen and her young party leader Jordan Bardella, who now wants to become the French Prime Minister.
Approximately 600 AfD delegates are expected in Essen on Saturday and Sunday. Nationwide, groups have called for protests and blockades under the slogan "Prevent AfD party conference". "There will be a large police presence," Essen's mayor Thomas Kufen (CDU) told Deutschlandfunk. More than a dozen demonstrations are expected to draw 80,000 people. "We have a lot coming our way, but I see us well prepared."
Tino Chrupalla, the AfD leader, expressed his support for the proposal of introducing a Secretary-General in their party during a ZDF interview, mentioning that he had suggested this idea two years ago. Alice Weidel, Chrupalla's co-chair, also supports the motion, stating that it's a sensible contribution to the party's professionalization. The discussions about the Secretary-General and potential changes in leadership will take place at the AfD party conference in Essen (NRW).
