espionage
Krah is no longer running for the AfD board
The AfD’s top candidate for the European elections, Maximilian Krah, is withdrawing from the AfD leadership. photo
© Stefan Puchner/dpa
AfD top candidate Krah is in focus because of espionage allegations against an ex-employee and possible China and Russia connections. He wants to withdraw from the AfD leadership.
The AfD’s top European candidate, Maximilian Krah no longer wants to be part of the AfD party leadership in the future. A spokesman for party leader Alice Weidel confirmed that he announced this at a meeting of the federal executive board on Monday evening. ZDF “frontal” and “Junge Freiheit” reported first.
According to the information, the meeting asked who no longer wanted to run for the top committee, which is to be re-elected at a party conference at the end of June. Both Krah and the party’s deputy treasurer, Harald Weyel, and Carlo Clemens have declared this for themselves. The AfD board has 14 members. Alexander Gauland is also the honorary chairman.
The decision was made “months ago”
Krah told “Junge Freiheit” that the upcoming federal executive board had to take care of the federal election and that he himself wanted to concentrate on work in the EU Parliament and take a break from the board. The politician denied any connection with the espionage allegations against his ex-employee, who is in custody. “I decided months ago not to compete again,” said Krah.
ZDF “frontal” reported that the AfD leadership had made it clear to Krah that he would withdraw from the board. This was not confirmed in party circles on Tuesday. It was more of his own decision, they simply said. However, he was reportedly not asked to run again.
Krah has been in the headlines for weeks after reports of possible connections to pro-Russian networks and China and possible financial payments. The Dresden public prosecutor’s office is examining whether an investigation should be started. The EU parliamentarian came under additional pressure after an employee was arrested in April for suspected spying for China. In the European election campaign, top candidate Krah briefly withdrew in coordination with the party leadership, but he is now back to campaign appointments.