AfD Re-elects Leaders; Protesters Try to Disrupt Congress in Erfurt
Germany’s far-right AfD has re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as co-leaders, while thousands of protesters attempt to block the party’s congress in Erfurt.
At the congress of the right-wing Eurosceptic party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) in Erfurt on Saturday, co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla were re-elected for another two-year term. Weidel received 81.3% of delegate votes, slightly more than in the previous election, while Chrupalla garnered 70%—down from 83% two years ago. The congress rejected a proposal to elect only one chairman in the future.
Addressing delegates, Chrupalla said the AfD aims to take power: “We have grown into a people’s party. We have proven that we can work in opposition, and we will be in power initially in one state, then at the federal level.” He dismissed talk of internal rifts, especially between him and Weidel, insisting the party is more united than ever. Weidel, meanwhile, sharply criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz and promised that if AfD comes to power, it will vigorously deport illegal immigrants—a statement that drew ovations.
Outside the congress venue, widespread protests took place. According to police, about 20,000 people gathered in Erfurt, blocking main streets and public transport. The protests were organized by the alliance “Resistance,” with some participants blocking access roads to the city and others staging sit-ins in the city center. Most AfD delegates, however, managed to reach the conference center.
Polls show the AfD has become Germany’s most popular party, with support between 27% and 29%, well ahead of the conservative CDU/CSU led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. In Thuringia, where the congress is being held, the AfD is particularly strong—it has the largest faction in the state parliament. However, other parties, including the CDU, SPD, and the pro-Russian left-wing extremist party BSW, have formed a coalition to isolate the Eurosceptics. Notably, the Thuringia branch of the AfD is one of the most radical and was classified as a confirmed far-right extremist organization by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in 2021.
