No majority for the Höcke woman and other results of the AfD party conference

*Professionalization, the term was frequently used at the AfD party conference. It doesn't mean content moderation, but the goal of becoming coalition- and government-capable by 2029. The practicalities of this remained open in Essen.

The Election Results

Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla received surprisingly high approval ratings in their re-election as party chairs. Chrupalla's result was particularly surprising: He had feared being pushed to the sidelines in Essen, especially as he had been criticized in the party for his handling of European Spitzenkandidates Maximilian Krah and Petr Bystron. However, Chrupalla received 82.7%, and Weidel 79.8%. She seemed to be easing the gap, almost overwhelming him. He declared, "I've worked hard in the last few years," announcing that he would "work even more now." Weidel later told ntv, "I find it great that he even has six more votes than I do."

The Protests

Thousands protested around the party conference against the AfD - most peacefully, but not all. According to the police, 28 officers were injured, one severely. Initially, two seriously injured officers were reported. Unknown individuals allegedly attacked two lying officers from behind. Both were taken to the hospital, the injuries of a policewoman fortunately turned out to be less severe than initially assumed, according to the police.

The organizing alliance for the protests also reported that AfD politician Stefan Hrdy attacked peaceful demonstrators. The man allegedly approached demonstrators and spat on them. In another incident, he allegedly bit someone's leg.

In the hall, the protests created an even stronger feeling of being on the right side. "What's happening here has nothing to do with democracy anymore," Weidel said about the protests. "That's really scandalous." The intensity of the protests reinforced the AfD's belief that they alone were the true democrats.

The Mood

It's unclear how far Chrupalla's election results reflect the mood in the party. The AfD remains a party whose basic sentiment is anger - which sometimes turns inward. "Any one of you could be next," said Gereon Bollmann, the former president of the AfD Disciplinary Court regarding expulsion procedures. "And you'll be happy when you're standing before an independent judge." (Bollmann later did not receive a majority.) In a debate about organizing state party conferences, a delegate posed the rhetorical question, "What if saboteurs were in the leadership?" "That happens faster than you think!"

The Radicalism

There was no significant debate about the radicalism of the party's political positions or about the extremists within the party in Essen. After all, the political positions of the AfD are radical in all relevant topics: Migration is the end of the Western world, the European Union is a disaster, for Weidel, Ukraine is not even part of the EU, let alone Europe, wind turbines are evil, we are the only ones who love Germany.

When there's a dispute in the AfD, it's not between factions, but between power groups. The numerous far-right extremists in their ranks don't view the AfD as a problem - the Constitutional Protection Agency is, in their opinion. "He has become an enemy of the constitution, and he should be abolished in this form," Hocke said.

Bjoern Hoecke

AfD Bundestag members have been spreading the word for some time now that Bjoern Hoecke's influence in the AfD is overestimated. This may be the case. At the Essen party conference, Hoecke proposed a party colleague, Anna Rathert, for a position in the AfD Disciplinary Court. Rathert had reportedly prepared her candidacy, but in her speech, she spoke less about the AfD Disciplinary Court and more about "red lines that our opponents will draw." Some delegates expressed significant skepticism towards her. In the vote, she received 45 percent - the opposing candidate was elected.

Applause came when Chrupalla called for Hoecke to become Minister-President of Thuringia at the end of the party conference.

The Professionalization

Much was spoken about professionalization at the AfD party conference. Since the ultimately disappointing European elections, the party now has its sights set on the state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg in the long term, with the goal of becoming coalition-capable - Chrupalla spoke of the "Project 2029." However, the AfD intends to take the Austrian way: to be electable without giving up radical positions.

A symbol for professionalization should have been the creation of a new office: For the case that the AfD only has one leader or leaderess, there should be a General Secretary starting in 2025. Reports suggest that Chrupalla saw this plan as an attack on himself. In the end, it was completely abandoned: First, the proposers added that the General Secretary should also be allowed in the case of a co-leadership, then the proposal was referred to the appropriate party committee. The debate was over in ten minutes.

Russia, China, and the USA

Completely without controversy, a debate about foreign policy goals took place on stage on Sunday afternoon. Russia, China, the USA - these are all great powers that only focus on their own interests, not Germany's. Behind this stance is the belief that there is no longer anything in common with the USA that justifies a relationship. The AfD opposes arms deliveries to Ukraine, and in one of the resolutions, it refers to itself as the "Peace Party."

In the original version, it read: "The recognition of legitimate security needs is recognizable in the German interest." Russia was not mentioned explicitly, but was clearly implied. The sentence was eventually struck - with the explanation that one could also argue that the Baltic states have a legitimate security interest against Nord Stream 2. That is not in the German interest. No one had anything to object to about the obvious Russia proximity of the proposal.

Peace Party? There was indeed something to it - The Alliance for Germany, led by Sahra Wagenkhecht, also sees itself as a Peace Party. In the September state elections, the new party is a real competitor. Correspondingly bitterly had Weidel commented on the party before the conference. In Essen, the elephant in the room was not mentioned at all.

Sahra Wagenknecht, from the Alliance for Germany, also sees her party as a 'Peace Party', posing a significant challenge in the September state elections.
In the debate about foreign policy goals, the AfD opposes arms deliveries to Ukraine, positioning itself as the 'Peace Party'.
Björn Höcke proposed Anna Rathert for a position in the AfD Disciplinary Court, but her speech was met with significant skepticism from some delegates.
During the party conference, Tino Chrupalla called for Björn Höcke to become Minister-President of Thuringia, sparking applause from the crowd.
The 'Project 2029' in the AfD aims to become coalition-capable by this year, with a focus on the state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg.
Russia is not explicitly mentioned in the debate about foreign policy goals, but its implied presence is not challenged, with the belief that there is no longer anything in common with the USA that justifies a relationship.