Lead
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has wrapped up its national convention in Erfurt with a clear message: it intends to govern the country. Co-leader Alice Weidel, re-elected at the event, pointed to opinion polls showing the party leading nationwide. "We are the strongest force. We are a people's party with 30% support. And we will govern," she said, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
The convention, held in the capital of the eastern state of Thuringia, also saw the election of a new federal board that analysts say strengthens Weidel's influence and signals a continued hardline strategy.
Coverage Comparison
Deutsche Welle focused on the national convention and the party's broader ambitions, emphasizing Weidel's re-election and the composition of the new board. The outlet noted that several new board members come from state branches classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence.
The Hindu — World, meanwhile, centered on the party's regional campaign in Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD holds a significant lead in opinion polls ahead of a September state election. The outlet detailed a 100-day manifesto unveiled by top candidate Ulrich Siegmund, which includes immediate expulsion of undocumented immigrants and changes to school curriculums.
Both outlets used the term "far-right" to describe the party, though The Hindu's tone was more neutral in its reporting.
Key Claims
The AfD has a lead of nearly 20 points over mainstream conservatives in Saxony-Anhalt, according to opinion polls reported by The Hindu — World. The state votes for its government on September 6.
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, pledged to expel all undocumented immigrants "from the very first minute" if the party wins. He said he would use "all available leeway, including detention pending deportation" and would require asylum seekers to perform community service or risk losing benefits, as reported by The Hindu — World.
The party defends a traditional family model, defined by Siegmund as "a man, a woman and children from that couple," and plans to ban the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag in schools while promoting the national flag, according to the same outlet.
Siegmund also said the AfD aims to change history curriculums, which he claims are "too focused on Germany's Nazi-era guilt," as reported by The Hindu — World. Additionally, the party proposed a €1,500 subsidy for driving licences for apprentices to prevent young people from leaving rural areas.
At the national convention, Alice Weidel was re-elected as co-leader with 81.3% of the vote, slightly improving on her previous result, while co-chair Tino Chrupalla received 70%, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
Deutsche Welle also reported that six of the 14 new federal board members come from state branches classified by Germany's domestic intelligence as right-wing extremist organizations. The AfD is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization in five German states and is under observation in six others, including at the national level.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the AfD in Erfurt during the convention, according to Deutsche Welle.
Perspectives
AfD Leadership: Alice Weidel and other party leaders assert that the AfD is a "people's party" with growing support and a legitimate claim to govern. They argue their policies, such as strict immigration controls and a traditional family model, reflect the will of the people.
Intelligence and Critics: German domestic intelligence classifies the AfD as right-wing extremist in several states, and critics point to the influence of figures like Björn Höcke, whose ally Stefan Möller has joined the board, as evidence of the party's radical direction.