Controversial AfD politician
Bavarian state parliament lifts Daniel Halemba’s immunity
Young AfDler Daniel Halemba in the Bavarian state parliament
© Peter Kneffel / DPA
The AfD would like to get rid of one of its own ranks: the young politician Daniel Halemba has gotten into trouble on several occasions. Now the public prosecutor’s office can investigate him.
According to new investigation allegations from the Würzburg public prosecutor’s office, the Bavarian state parliament once again has the immunity of the AfD state parliament member Daniel Halemba repealed. Parliament thus followed the vote of the Constitutional Committee, which had already made the same decision a week ago. The background to this are new allegations against the 22-year-old, which the public prosecutor’s office has now brought against him as part of its months-long investigation into sedition. Halemba is now also being investigated for money laundering, coercion and damage to property.
However, the public prosecutor initially did not want to provide further details about the allegations, citing tactical reasons for the investigation. Because of the new allegations, the controversial Bavarian AfD member of the state parliament will refrain from making public appearances in parliament until further notice. He also gives up functions within the faction. Until the proceedings are completed, he will also forego all appearances in the plenary session, in committees and other public activities as a group member, said Halemba in a letter to his group, which he also made available to the German Press Agency on Wednesday evening. He also resigned from his position as expelled political spokesman and made his membership in the Committee for Submissions and Complaints available.
Daniel Halemba withdraws – “no admission of guilt”
“These steps do not represent an admission of guilt, but rather serve to protect the group community and are intended to direct the public focus back to the factual political work of the group,” emphasized Halemba in his “personal statement.”
When asked, parliamentary group leader Katrin Ebner-Steiner also said: “For him and for us, his prudent measures do not represent any admission of guilt. Rather, Mr. Halemba is also keen to support the calm and constructive work of our group in this way.” Ebner-Steiner also emphasized: “We will adhere to the presumption of innocence as a fundamental principle of our constitutional state until the end of the proceedings.” There had previously been a lengthy discussion within the group that lasted into the evening.
AfD wants to get rid of Halemba
Halemba has been criticized for months. The AfD federal executive board would like to have a party exclusion process prepared, as the AfD federal office confirmed on Wednesday. Reasons were not initially given. The corresponding application should be submitted by next Monday.
When asked by the dpa on Wednesday, Halemba said he was calm about the proceedings. “In this context, it will be clarified beyond any doubt that the allegations are false claims made by a failed competitor,” he wrote. The state executive board has already determined this through legal reports. “I have already been sanctioned for the somewhat negligent acceptance of two new members.” After the process has been completed, he said, he looks forward to “continuing trusting cooperation with the Federal Executive Board again,” said the member of the state parliament.
At the end of last year, the AfD federal executive committee called on the Bavarian state executive committee to initiate an exclusion process. The decision was justified by violations of the party’s rules, which would have led to the admission of members in violation of the statutes in the run-up to two assembly meetings for the state elections in Bavaria. Because of allegations of cheating in his favor when drawing up the list for the state elections, Halemba was then banned from holding office within the party for two years by the state executive board. At a state party conference, a majority of delegates also asked him to resign from his parliamentary mandate. However, this decision was not binding for Halemba – and the group supported him.