AfD holds federal convention despite protests as European political fractures deepen

$AfD holds federal convention despite protests as European political fractures deepen$

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AfD holds federal convention despite protests as European political fractures deepen
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AfD strengthens leadership ahead of German regional votes as Spains Sumar faces collapse
5 days ago
Tens of thousands protest in Erfurt as AfD opens party conference
6 days ago
Tens of thousands protest as AfD opens Erfurt congress amid blockades and clashes
6 days ago
AfD reaffirms Weidel and Chrupalla as leaders amid mass protests in Erfurt
6 days ago
Tens of thousands protest as Germanys far-right AfD opens Erfurt conference under heavy police guard
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Tens of thousands protest as AfD opens Erfurt conference under heavy police protection
6 days agorevised 2×
Tens of thousands to protest as police brace for AfD party conference in Erfurt
7 days ago
Five German states block protests ahead of AfD party congress in Erfurt
9 days ago
German far-right AfD and BSW deepen ties ahead of eastern state elections
9 days ago

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AfD holds federal convention despite protests as European political fractures deepen

Current story

AfD strengthens leadership ahead of German regional votes as Spains Sumar faces collapse

5 days ago

Tens of thousands protest in Erfurt as AfD opens party conference

6 days ago

Tens of thousands protest as AfD opens Erfurt congress amid blockades and clashes

6 days ago

AfD reaffirms Weidel and Chrupalla as leaders amid mass protests in Erfurt

6 days ago

Tens of thousands protest as Germanys far-right AfD opens Erfurt conference under heavy police guard

6 days ago

Continuation

Tens of thousands protest as AfD opens Erfurt conference under heavy police protection

6 days ago

revised 2×

Tens of thousands to protest as police brace for AfD party conference in Erfurt

7 days ago

Five German states block protests ahead of AfD party congress in Erfurt

9 days ago

German far-right AfD and BSW deepen ties ahead of eastern state elections

9 days ago

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politics greece germany european union

AI-generated · Hosted in Europe

Mass protests fail to halt AfD federal convention as party’s rise fuels political fractures across Europe

Mass demonstrations in Erfurt on Saturday failed to prevent the Alternative for Germany (AfD) from holding its federal convention, as 17,000 activists from the alliance *Widersetzen* blocked 12 access points to the Messehalle, according to the group’s own count. Delegates had already arrived by the time activists assembled at dawn, allowing the party to proceed with its scheduled proceedings. The episode underscored the AfD’s resilience despite sustained public opposition and deepening divisions within Germany’s political landscape.

Reactions to the protests were sharply polarized. Senior citizens interviewed by *taz* dismissed the blockades as counterproductive, with one 68-year-old former industrial clerk stating, “You’re just giving the AfD more attention and even handing them voters,” while adding that she could now consider voting AfD after previously supporting the BSW. A 19-year-old security worker at a Späti kiosk described the blockades as “shitty for the locals,” though she shared the party’s criticism. A 26-year-old bookstore employee cited traffic disruptions as her primary concern, though she expressed understanding for anti-AfD sentiment. The AfD’s online supporters mocked the protesters for oversleeping, while the *Widersetzen* coalition hailed the action as its “largest blockade ever,” despite the convention proceeding as planned .

The convention’s smooth execution coincided with escalating tensions within the AfD’s North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) branch, where a power struggle between the party’s federal leadership and the right-wing faction led by Björn Höcke’s associate Stefan Hövelmann threatens to derail the state’s candidate list for the 2027 state election. NRW AfD leader Markus Vincentz, seen as a moderate within the party, is locked in a dispute with right-wing hardliner Hans-Thomas Helferich over top-list positions, raising the prospect of a formal split that could weaken the party’s electoral prospects. The Bundesspitze’s attempt to broker a compromise has so far collapsed, signaling deeper instability ahead of regional votes in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, where the AfD leads polls .

Across the continent, the AfD’s ascent is reshaping political alliances and testing long-standing taboos. In Saxony-Anhalt, where the AfD leads in polls ahead of next year’s state election, CDU leader Sven Schulze has warned that without a majority, the state could face prolonged political gridlock, raising the specter of breaking the so-called *Brandmauer*—the CDU’s long-standing refusal to cooperate with the AfD. Political scientist Oliver Lembcke noted that while party officials publicly uphold the line, “behind closed doors, many in the state associations speak of ‘governing majorities’ but shy away from the consequences.” The debate has already claimed its first casualty: a CDU county council president in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern announced his defection to the AfD last month, citing frustration with the party’s exclusion from power .

Meanwhile, the AfD’s growing influence is prompting soul-searching among European partners. In Brussels, MEPs from the Renew Europe and European People’s Party groups clashed over the EU’s next long-term budget, with Irish MEP Ciaran Mulloly insisting that farm subsidies—currently 30% of the EU budget—cannot be reduced to accommodate Ukraine’s potential accession, while Finnish MEP Pekka Toveri argued that rising security threats require reallocating funds from agriculture to defense. “We understand the importance of food security, but we also face a threat from Russia,” Toveri said. “Everyone must contribute, including agriculture” .

The AfD’s rise is also reverberating in national capitals. In Greece, opposition leader Maria Karystianou of the *Hope for Democracy* party accused Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of “national betrayal” for failing to veto NATO decisions that upgraded Turkey’s role in European defense during a summit in Ankara. “The deliberate non-use of our veto is national betrayal,” she wrote on social media, adding that Mitsotakis would be held accountable for undermining Greece’s strategic interests .

As the AfD consolidates its position, the party’s opponents are struggling to contain its advance. In Erfurt, left-wing protesters also targeted journalists covering the convention, prompting the *Bundestag* to debate accusations of double standards in responses to political violence. Bavarian Broadcasting condemned the attacks on reporters, stating that violence from both left and right must be uniformly condemned .

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