Krah is expelled from the AfD MEPs' grouping.
Maximilian Krah is the leading candidate for AfD in the European election; however, he won't be part of their delegation in the European Parliament. The newly-elected MPs voted to exclude Krah from their group, as he had previously announced.
AfD chairpersons Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla met with the newly elected AfD MEPs in Berlin to form their future delegation in the EU Parliament and determine the leadership of the group. Weidel spoke before the meeting, saying it was about the group's structures, "and I think we'll have a good result here right away." On the roles of Spitzenkandidat Krah and second on the AfD's list, Petr Bystron, in these structures, she said, "that will be decided by the delegation."
"Not overly cordial"
Krah and Bystron have drawn attention due to possible links to pro-Russian networks. In Krah's case, there are also possible connections to China and controversial remarks about the Nazi SS. Recently, the far-right ID faction has kicked the AfD out of their faction over these connections.
Before the vote, Krah saw an expulsion as "not overly cordial," but at the same time, he said it wouldn't stop him from "working loudly and successfully for this party in the European Parliament." He claims credit for the party's victory among younger voters. The AfD secured 15.9 percent in the German European election and will soon have 15 MEPs.
Krah costs the AfD money
The question of possible affiliation with a faction concerns a lot of money for the party. According to ntv, the AfD delegation in the European Parliament receives more than ten million euros in addition to their work during a legislative period if they join a faction. With Krah's expulsion from the ID faction, the party has lost a significant amount of money. Additionally, non-affiliated MPs play a lesser role in decision-making and receive less air time, which has been crucial for the AfD's self-promotion on social media.
AfD leader Chrupalla seemed confident after the European election, thinking he had a solid case for reinstatement into the ID faction. Krah's expulsion provides another reason for talks with the party of Marine Le Pen, who had driven the AfD's expulsion forward as the strongest force in the faction.
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Despite being the leading candidate for AfD in the European elections, Maximilian Krah was excluded from their delegation in the European Parliament by a vote from the newly-elected MPs due to his controversial remarks and potential links to pro-Russian networks and China. This expulsion from the AfD MEPs' grouping will cost the party significant money, as they stand to lose over ten million euros in funding from not joining a faction in the European Parliament.
