Press
Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s top candidate, was thrown out of the party’s EU delegation. The decision has been met with fierce criticism and has put the party leadership under pressure.
Bürssel – The AfD base is angry about the exclusion of its top candidate Maximilian Krah from the party’s EU delegation. Jörg Urban, the AfD state leader in Saxony, told Time Online: “I think the decision is wrong and unprofessional.” He stressed that Krah had played a key role in “the AfD’s success in the European elections, especially among young voters.”
It is not just the 15 elected AfD MEPs who voted for Krah’s exclusion who are being criticized. The party leadership, consisting of Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, is also at the center of the controversy. They are accused of having been present at the vote and not having intervened. Urban criticizes the fact that Krah was excluded from the election campaign “due to unproven allegations.” He adds: “The fact that the top candidate elected by the party conference is now not allowed to be part of the AfD delegation cannot be explained to voters.”
Serious allegations against AfD politician – Krah is said to have received money from Russia and China
The decision to exclude Krah from the delegation follows a series of allegations against the politician from Saxony. Among other things, there is suspicion that he may have received money from the pro-Russian propaganda platform “Voice of Europe”, which Krah denies.
In addition, research by WDR, ndr and South German Newspaper (SZ) there is suspicion that Krah may have received money from the Chinese secret service. This suspicion is based on allegations against a former employee of Krah, who was taken into custody for possible work for the Chinese secret service. He is said to have supported Krah, his law firm and his parliamentary office with high five-figure sums – possibly with money from the secret service.
Krah recently caused a stir with a statement about the National Socialist Schutzstaffel (SS). In an interview with the Italian newspaper The Republic he rejected the verdict that all SS soldiers were criminals. This led to the right-wing populist ID group in the EU Parliament excluding the AfD and the party leadership imposing a ban on Krah appearing – albeit with limited success.
“Let’s show them who we stand for” – Federal Executive Board comes under pressure because of Krah
Despite the scandals surrounding Krah, many party members are expressing their displeasure about the exclusion on social media. Gerhard Vierfusz, who ran for the AfD in the local elections in Brandenburg, writes on X: “The #BuVo (federal executive committee) wants to prevent this man.” He adds: “Because he is too #right-wing for them. Because he is too #intelligent for them.” Vierfusz, who describes himself as “The Right-Worship Lawyer,” demands: “Let’s show them who we stand by.”
Jörg Baumann, a former police officer and Bavarian state parliamentarian for the AfD, believes that the will of the voters is being disregarded. He writes on X: “Many AfD voters voted for the #AfD in the #European elections precisely because of #Krah and now he is being excluded from the delegation in order to curry favor with Meloni and Le Pen again.” Baumann also supports the “Pride Month” initiated by the right-wing extremist Identitarian Movement. According to the Baden-Württemberg Office for the Protection of the Constitution, this is a right-wing extremist countermovement to the “Pride Month” of the LGBTQIA+ movement.
Saxony-AfD wants top candidate back in the EU delegation – Krah comments on expulsion
Jörg Urban announced that the AfD Saxony would try to reverse the “wrong decision”. “We at the AfD Saxony want to ensure that Maximilian Krah becomes part of the delegation,” he told Time OnlineThey would “try to remedy this wrong decision”. However, the support of other regional associations would be necessary for this.
Krah himself expressed his disappointment at the party leadership’s decision on X. “I wish my newly elected MP colleagues every success in their attempt to rejoin the ID group without me,” he wrote. “I think this path is wrong and sends a devastating signal to our voters, especially our young voters.”
Although Krah does not have to leave the EU Parliament and can act as a non-attached member, he stresses that this “will not stop him from continuing to work loudly and successfully for this party in the European Parliament”, as the daily News quoted him. (nhi)
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