parties
AfD celebrates ten years of existence – under protest
The party leaders of the AfD: Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. photo
© Hannes P Albert/dpa
On the tenth anniversary of its founding, the AfD is gathering in the Taunus for the anniversary celebration – and is self-confident. There is a loud protest in front of the door.
In Königstein, Hesse, the AfD celebrated its tenth anniversary on Monday evening. Accompanied by loud protests and under police protection, around 300 party members came together in the “House of Encounters”. The party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla swore those present to the next few years with declarations of war on their political opponents.
“We have come to stay, dear friends, and we will!” Chrupalla called into the hall. The AfD had become a fixture in just a few years, Weidel said in her speech. “We are the thorn in the flesh of the established.”
Gauland: AfD has a “tremendous success story”
The honorary chairman Alexander Gauland spoke of a “tremendous success story” with a view to the first ten years of the AfD. One is the voice of “the normal people in this country”. “We didn’t found this party because we want another republic, but because we don’t want another republic,” said Gauland to thunderous applause from those present.
Chrupalla and Gauland again criticized the arms deliveries to Ukraine. The war has nothing to do with Germany. The speeches also confirmed the assessment that AfD participation in the government would not be unrealistic in the foreseeable future. Weidel referred to the upcoming state elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg in 2024, where her party is sometimes the strongest in the polls. No one can ignore this clear will of the voters in the long run, she said.
Weidel calls “firewall” irresponsible
Weidel called the “fire wall” literally erected by the CDU against any coalitions with the AfD irresponsible. The CDU has ruled out working with the AfD. A CDU spokesman made it clear at the beginning of the year: “We have a clear party conference decision. Any cooperation with the AfD is excluded. Our firewall to the right must be in place.”
According to estimates by the West Hesse police headquarters, around 700 people protested against the AfD meeting in front of the event hall of the Taunus health resort northwest of Frankfurt (Main). Associations, unions and parties had called for a counter-rally. Some participants in the AfD event had to make their way in the direction of Halle, accompanied by police escorts, yelling “Nazis out” and “Get lost”. Among other things, the demonstrators had Ukraine and rainbow flags with them. Signs read “Human rights instead of right-wing Nazis” and “Stand up in solidarity against the right-wing agitation of the AfD”.
Königstein Mayor Leonhard Helm (CDU) said the “House of Encounters” was dedicated to the public. Authorities must be neutral towards all parties. Basically, the AfD in Königstein is not a political power. “The demonstrators show that they are not welcome,” said Helm.
Founded in Oberursel as a “Professors’ Party”
The Alternative for Germany, which now has around 30,000 members, was founded on February 6, 2013 in Oberursel, a few kilometers from Königstein, by around 20 participants led by economics professor Bernd Lucke and conservative publicist Konrad Adam. Started as a “Professors’ Party,” which primarily opposed the euro rescue policy, the AfD has now, according to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, moved so far to the right that the domestic secret service is watching them as a whole. According to the authority, there are sufficient indications of anti-constitutional efforts.
SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert called for a clear demarcation from the AfD on the occasion of the tenth anniversary. It is crucial for the basic democratic consensus that the AfD will not be able to achieve any direct political effect in the future – not only in federal politics, but everywhere, he told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. Left faction leader Amira Mohamed Ali wrote on Twitter on Monday that ten years after the party was founded, it had to be said that it had not been possible to “keep the right-wing extremist party small. Something has to change. This requires a better strategy that is more than just that “Against the right wing”.”