Celebratory pops from the AfD - Weidel, head of the AfD party, expresses intentions to govern following European elections.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is asserting its claim to govern following their strong performance in the European elections, especially in the eastern region of the country.
Following the election results in Saxony, co-party leader Alice Weidel stated in Berlin, "We know who will be the next state premier in the upcoming elections in three eastern German states in September." She confidently declared, "We have the claim to govern." Weidel then urged Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz to make way for a new election in the federal government.
Post-election changes
As part of their strategy to maintain cooperation possibilities with right-wing parties in the newly elected European Parliament, the 15 elected AfD MEPs held a meeting in Berlin the following day to determine their future group composition. The controversial lead candidate Maximilian Krah was not considered a possible addition to the AfD group.
In contrast, despite ongoing investigations regarding bribery and money laundering allegations, Petr Bystron's inclusion in the AfD group was confirmed. The AfD delegation would be led by Thuringia AfD Vice Chairman René Aust.
Celebrating Wins
"We celebrated last night," said Weidel during the AfD's election review for journalists in Berlin. "People want us to assume government responsibility." Despite reports of allegations against Bystron and Krah, the AfD had emerged as the strongest political force in the eastern German states. Chrupalla, the AfD chairman, described the results as a demonstration of support for the party in the east. "The people are almost flooding our offices with information stands and citizen dialogues."
Stable Leadership
After the election, there were no signs of a revolt against co-leaders Weidel and Chrupalla at the upcoming party congress in late June. While there were no apparent concerns about their re-election as party leaders, Chrupalla said, "We work together trustingly and will continue to do so for the next two years." Weidel seemed unfazed by the election results as well.
Lone Wolf Status for Krah
The lead candidate and AfD TikTok sensation, Maximilian Krah, will have to start as a lone fighter in the European Parliament. While 4 members of the newly elected EU parliamentarians were in favor of including Krah in the AfD group, 8 were against and 3 abstained from voting on the matter. The ID faction, a coalition of right-wing parties in the European Parliament, had excluded the AfD shortly before the election due to Krah's contentious remarks about the Nazi SS.
Krah expressed confidence following his exclusion, stating that the decision was a mistake. "This is a snapshot, let's wait and see how the eastern state associations evaluate it, and how the party base reacts to it," he said, claiming credit for the party's success in gaining young voters.
Bystron's Inclusion in the AfD Delegation
In a seeming contradiction to the fate of Krah, the other most controversial candidate on the AfD's electoral list, Petr Bystron, was allowed to join the new delegation. After a meeting with the new EU representatives, Chrupalla confirmed that Bystron had made a declaration that he had not accepted any money and that all statements related to the allegations against him were false. AfD MEPs have demanded this form of reassurance.
Impressive Election Performance
The AfD received 15.9% of the votes in the European elections in Germany on Sunday.
Read also:
- The victory in the European elections has boosted the confidence of the AfD party, particularly in Saxony, where they aim to become the next state premier in September's elections.
- The SPD, led by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, now faces pressure from the AfD to call for a new election in Germany's federal government due to the party's strong performance.
- The European elections resulted in 15 AfD MEPs being elected, leading to a meeting in Berlin to discuss their future group composition and potential cooperation with right-wing parties in the newly elected European Parliament.
- Maximilian Krah, the controversial AfD TikTok personality, was not considered for inclusion in the AfD group due to his contentious remarks, while Petr Bystron, despite ongoing money laundering allegations, was allowed to join the delegation.
- Alice Weidel, head of the AfD party, celebrates the party's success in the European elections and encourages Federal Chancellor Scholz to hand over government responsibility since the people want it.
- As part of their strategy to maintain alliances in the European Parliament, the AfD elected René Aust as their delegation leader, confirming Petr Bystron's inclusion despite ongoing investigations.
- In the post-election landscape, the SPD, the EU, and various far-right parties have all played crucial roles in shaping the political landscape, with both Petr Bystron and Maximilian Krah facing scrutiny within the AfD delegation.
- Following his exclusion from the AfD group, Maximilian Krah remains hopeful that the eastern state associations and party base will support his inclusion, citing his role in gaining young voters for the party.
- The European elections have brought about significant changes within the AfD, with new leaders, potential alliances, and a renewed focus on maintaining cooperation possibilities with right-wing parties in the European Parliament.10.рон Bystron's re-entry into the AfD delegation will likely be closely watched, as his potential for leadership and ability to influence party policy will have a significant impact on the party's future in both Germany and the European Union.
