According to a report on conferences between AfD and Identitarians: outrage, concern and most distance | EUROtoday

“Not an AfD appointment”, a “purely private event”: The AfD tries to take care of most distance from a gathering with right-wing extremists, at which AfD politicians had been additionally current. A restaurant chain and the NRW CDU are additionally making an attempt to maintain their distance.

AfD politicians, neo-Nazis and entrepreneurs met in November 2023 to debate the expulsion of tens of millions of individuals from Germany. Two CDU members had been additionally current. The report by the analysis community “Correctiv” is inflicting discussions, reactions and concern.

The Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Sellner has now confirmed that he spoke about “remigration” on the assembly. Experts perceive the time period to be a authorized idea for the return of people that have fled or immigrated to their international locations of origin. Sellner wrote in an e-mail that his plan was not secret, however was being “discussed broadly and publicly in the patriotic camp.” He steered a “model city” that “could be leased and organized as a special economic zone in North Africa.” Sellner added: “The concept of remigration is a suggestion from me. In my opinion, which party takes up or possibly implements it is not relevant.”

“No AfD appointment”

The AfD defined that it was not a celebration assembly and that nothing would change within the celebration’s identified positions on immigration coverage. Contacts between AfD politicians and the Austrian Sellner and his “Identitarian Movement” aren’t new, even when the AfD is formally distancing itself from the motion, which is taken into account right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

From the AfD facet, former Bundestag member Roland Hartwig, who’s now an advisor to celebration and parliamentary group chief Alice Weidel, was amongst these current on the assembly. A spokesman for Weidel confirmed this upon request and stated: Ms. Weidel “had no knowledge of the participants. Hartwig also knew nothing about Sellner in advance.” A celebration spokesman added: “The AfD will not change its stance on immigration policy, which can be found in the party program, because of an individual opinion of a speaker at a meeting that was not an AfD event.”

“Purely private event”

Saxony-Anhalt’s AfD parliamentary group chief Ulrich Siegmund additionally confirmed his participation to “Correctiv” and defined that he was on the assembly as a personal individual and never in his capability as a member of parliament for the AfD. The deputy Potsdam AfD district chairman Tim Krause additionally confirmed upon request that he was quickly current on the assembly. Krause, who can be press spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group, emphasised: “It was a purely private event.”

“Hans im Glück” at most distance

It wasn’t simply the AfD that attempted to attain most distance. The restaurant chain “Hans im Glück” additionally reacted. The invitation to the assembly apparently additionally included the identify Hans-Christian Limmer, beforehand a co-partner of the burger chain and beforehand co-owner of the bakery chain “Backwerk”. The firm stated Limmer had provided to resign and this was accepted. The separation has speedy impact. The firm “clearly distances itself from right-wing extremist views; they represent the exact opposite of our core values.”

“Against CDU principles”

The CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia additionally instantly tried to set boundaries. The two CDU members who had been additionally represented in accordance with analysis are subsequently members of the right-wing conservative values ​​union. Upon request from rbb24 A celebration spokesman stated they had been investigating the matter if celebration members had taken half within the assembly. The primary rule is: “Anyone who takes part in such meetings is violating the principles of the CDU.”

One of the contributors from the Union of Values ​​is claimed to be Michaela Schneider. In addition to the Union of Values, it additionally belongs to the CDU’s SME and Economic Union (MIT). The second participant is Simone Baum – deputy federal chairwoman of the Union of Values. While the Values ​​Union isn’t a celebration construction of the CDU, the Medium-Sized and Economic Union (MIT) is a part of the CDU.

Faeser warns in opposition to networking

With a view to the assembly, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned in opposition to networking enemies of the structure with the AfD: “No one should underestimate this danger.” You can see how essential it’s “for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to monitor very closely what contacts there are in the right-wing extremist spectrum, how enemies of the constitution network with AfD representatives and what inhumane ideologies are propagated there,” she instructed the journal “Stern”.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as a suspected right-wing extremist case. The celebration filed a lawsuit in opposition to it. A call on this from the Higher Administrative Court in Münster is predicted on the finish of February. “As part of the processing of suspected cases, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is monitoring the further development of the AfD very closely,” stated a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior. “Possible meetings with actors from the right-wing extremist spectrum are also included.”

Discussion concerning the AfD ban

Green celebration deputy Konstantin von Notz accused the AfD of “totalitarian intentions” within the “Stuttgarter Zeitung”. The safety authorities would now need to cope with these carefully. The calls for for a “repopulation” are “clearly unconstitutional,” stated SPD parliamentary group vice-president Dirk Wiese to the newspapers of the Funke media group. The case reveals “what we have been pointing out for a long time: the AfD is hiding deep brown abysses under the cloak of bourgeoisity.”

Left chief Janine Wissler referred to as on the CDU to decide on the incompatibility of the union of values. “Otherwise all talk of firewalls remains unbelievable,” she instructed the AFP information company.

The analysis can be prone to gas the dialogue a couple of ban on the AfD. There are supporters in nearly all democratic events, though not universally. In the SPD, celebration chief Saskia Esken is extra in favor of it, whereas Eastern Representative Carsten Schneider is in opposition to it. In the CDU, Saxon Marco Wanderwitz advocates a ban, whereas celebration chief Friedrich Merz doesn’t.