At the federal party conference in Essen, the Alternative for Germany party voted to keep Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel as co-chairs for another two years. With no contested candidates, the vote showed a sense of unity within the party leadership. Weidel nominated Chrupalla as a candidate and expressed her desire to work together on planning the federal election campaign.
In her speech, Weidel criticized the established parties and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, accusing Germany of becoming a “pony farm.” She called for new elections and strongly expressed her opinions towards the government and current state of affairs. Weidel also accused the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of becoming an enemy of democracy and called for its abolition.
Outside of the party conference, tens of thousands protested against AfD with reports of violence and disruptive actions. Left-wing groups had announced plans to prevent delegates from attending, leading some party members to struggle getting to conference grounds due to protests and blockades. Police reported attacks on police forces and attempts to break through checkpoints, resulting in injuries and arrests.
Despite protests, around 50,000 AfD opponents gathered peacefully in front of Grugahalle where conference was held. The demonstration remained peaceful initially with no reports of violence. The tensions surrounding this conference and party’s leadership show deep divisions within German society and challenges faced by far-right parties