The AfD's revolution is failing
Surprise at the AfD Party Conference in Essen: The debate about a sole party leader was quietly dropped. In addition, AfD leader Tino Chrupalla received better results than his co-chair Alice Weidel. A love declaration caused laughter among the delegates.
The main topic at the AfD Party Conference in Essen was: Will the AfD abolish the co-leadership? It was clear among observers that the end was near for AfD leader Tino Chrupalla.
However, the revolt fizzles out. This became clear soon. The delegates rejected an amendment that demanded setting only one leader in the future. The party statutes allow for a simple leadership, but a dual leadership is also possible. Before the re-election of Chrupalla and his co-chair Alice Weidel, the delegates decided with a clear majority to continue with the co-leadership.
Afterwards, Chrupalla and Weidel were confirmed in their offices with unusually good election results. Two years ago at the party conference in Riesa, Chrupalla received only 53 percent, Weidel 63 percent. According to their standing in the AfD, Weidel's position was considered better. Then the surprise: First Chrupalla received 82.7 percent, then Weidel 79.8 percent. Weidel had campaigned for the co-leadership and for unity before the party conference. It seemed that Weidel had helped her colleague so much that he outperformed her herself.
No Opponents
Both had no opponents, no delegate made use of the opportunity to question the party leaders. Both nominated each other at the party conference. "I would be happy to nominate my esteemed, valued colleague Tino Chrupalla," said Weidel.
Chrupalla said in his campaign speech: "This party will change this country, that's what I promise. And above all in the next two years, that must be our goal." Looking towards the upcoming state elections in Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg in September, he said: "In the east, the sun of government responsibility must rise for us." Necessary for this, he appealed to the delegates, "a united party."
"Alice and I" have calmed the party, said Chrupalla. After his election, he thanked himself for the "overwhelming result." He had "worked hard in the last few years" and would now "work even more." Subsequently, he nominated Weidel: "I would also like to propose here my beloved" - at this point, laughter broke out - "my beloved co-speaker, the best co-speaker, that one can wish for."
Weidel wants to professionalize the AfD
Weidel repeated her call against the traffic light in her campaign speech. She also spoke of her "beloved Tino Chrupalla," but she managed to be both amused and contemptuous at the same time.
The AfD is "now really starting to make history," she declared. In the past few years, the AfD has experienced "professionalization," and the exchange within the party has also become more professional, but the communication of the party "absolutely needs to get better." "We explain too little (...), even I, we have to get better." In conclusion, she spoke of the AfD as "our beloved party."
In the AfD, the plan of the so-called Münzenmaier Network has been circulating for months - this is a coalition of relatively young AfD politicians around the Rhineland-Palatinate Bundestag member Sebastian Münzenmaier, who wants to professionalize the party in the model of the French Rassemblement National, while remaining just as radical as before. This includes the creation of the position of a General Secretary. A corresponding proposal is before the party conference. Weidel had publicly supported the idea before the party conference, as he told ntv, because it belongs to the "professionalization of the party." However, the position of the General Secretary is only supposed to exist from 2025 - and only then if there is a simple party leadership.
The party conference began on Saturday morning. It ends on this Sunday. Around the conference venue, the Grugahalle in Essen, there are numerous protests against the AfD.
- Despite the debates about having a single party leader, Tino Chrupalla, the co-chair of the AfD along with Alice Weidel, secured better results during the party conference in Essen (NRW).
- After the rejection of an amendment demanding a single leader, both Chrupalla and Weidel were confirmed in their roles with outstanding election results, with Weidel even promoting Chrupalla during her campaign speech.
- Alice Weidel has been advocating for the professionalization of the AfD, drawing inspiration from the French Rassemblement National, and has publicly supported the creation of a General Secretary position in the party, which is set to be implemented in 2025 under a simple party leadership.
