AfD and the Bystron affair: Weidel and Chrupalla’s formula compromise

Opinion

Alleged payments
Tactical solidarity: What the Bystron affair reveals about the balance of power in the AfD

The AfD leadership is supporting its number 2 for the European elections – for now. Behind this is also the unclear candidacy for chancellor.

After the weekly switch of the Stephan Brandner was extremely convinced by the AfD federal executive committee, in which Bundestag member Petr Bystron was invited to report. “In my opinion, there is zero truth to the allegations,” said the deputy party leader star. “From the beginning it was just a smear campaign by the media and secret services.” There is “complete unity” at this point.

A little later, his two chairmen spoke up – and sounded more cautious. Bystron has “vehemently contradicted” the allegations and will “put all statements made in writing,” said a joint statement from Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. The AfD is committed to “comprehensive clarification”. “At this point in time, the Federal Executive Board must assume that Mr. Bystron is innocent.”

Translated, this means: The AfD stands by Bystron, who is at least number 2 on their list for the European elections. However, this support is only conditional. If evidence emerges from the Prague secret service that the MP directly or indirectly accepted Russian funds, the board could use Bystron’s written statements against him and act accordingly.

There is great nervousness in the AfD before the elections

The tactical solidarity has to do not only with the limited trust in Bystron’s extremely colorful personality, but also with the timing of the affair. There are only two months left until the European elections, after which the state election campaigns begin in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg – and then the federal election is looming.

The nervousness is correspondingly great, especially since the polls have already been better for the AfD – and depending on the outcome of the various elections, the power structure within the party can shift again. And at the end there is the unresolved candidacy for chancellor: Which camp dominates the party? Weidel’s? Or from Chrupalla?

The affair touches on the AfD’s old conflict line. The hardliners, who are increasingly openly pandering to Russia as an aggressor and who would even see no problem in paying money to Bystron, are opposed to those who, at least outwardly, keep a minimum distance from Moscow. Chrupalla is considered to be firmly in the first camp, Weidel in the latter. This constellation explains the current formula compromise. It also reads like a careful scanning.

Petr Bystron is allowed to campaign for the European elections and spread his theses about an alleged “globalist” conspiracy against himself. But he alone bears the risk in the event that he lied.