The far-right AfD party has launched expulsion proceedings against Helferich.
Matthias Helferich, an independent member of the German Parliament since 2021, faces expulsion from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. His actions are deemed incompatible with the party's core values.
The AfD party in North Rhine-Westphalia has initiated the process to eject the disputed Dortmund Member of Parliament, Matthias Helferich, from their ranks. Senior party figures in Düsseldorf no longer tolerate his transgressions. Initially, the party's disciplinary tribunal will review the expulsion case.
Helferich, a 35-year-old attorney, has caused damage to the party through his conduct and is in stark opposition to its principles, as per AfD's circle members. A majority from within the state executive board declared it's now "time to end" his presence in the party. The MP could not be reached for comment. He lost his membership privileges, which included participation in internal party elections and running for the position himself.
Helferich's controversial reputation stems from conversations in old chatrooms. Although he admitted using the term "the friendly face of the NS" in a chat, he clarified that it was a label coined by left-wing bloggers and he had only "parodied" it.
In the past, Helferich, who has been an unaffiliated member of the Bundestag since 2021, was elected to one of the five supervisory board positions at the AfD party conference in Marl. This outcome was considered a setback for the moderate faction spearheaded by state party and state parliamentary group leader Martin Vincentz.
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Source: www.ntv.de
