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AfD leader quits party hours after German election breakthrough AfD leader quits party caucus hours after German election breakthrough
(about 3 hours later)
The rightwing nationalist Alternative für Deutschland, in celebratory mode after coming third in Germany’s elections, was delivered a bombshell by its leader on Monday morning after she announced she would not sit with the party in the Bundestag. Germany’s rightwing nationalist party Alternative für Deutschland, in celebratory mode after coming third in elections, was delivered a bombshell by its co-leader on Monday morning after she announced she would not sit with the party in the Bundestag.
Frauke Petry walked out of a press conference at which the party leadership marvelled at its success, having secured 13% of the vote and 88 seats in the federal parliament.Frauke Petry walked out of a press conference at which the party leadership marvelled at its success, having secured 13% of the vote and 88 seats in the federal parliament.
The departure of the woman who was the party’s most prominent figure illustrates just how split the AfD remains, despite attempts to show a united front during the election campaign. The departure of one of AfD’s most prominent figures illustrates the splits in the party despite its attempts to show a united front during the election campaign.
Petry, on the moderate wing of the party, saw her role as that of uniting the AfD. But she has earned scorn from the rightwing nationalists who have become the stronger force, increasingly sidelining opponents within the party. Petry, on the moderate wing of the party, saw her role as that of uniting the AfD. But she has earned scorn from emboldened rightwing nationalists who have increasingly sidelined their opponents.
In April, she attempted to lead the party towards what she called a more realistic and pragmatic approach, so that, she said, it would have a chance to enter coalition governments.In April, she attempted to lead the party towards what she called a more realistic and pragmatic approach, so that, she said, it would have a chance to enter coalition governments.
But her co-leader, Jörg Meuthen, and the party’s leading election candidates, Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel, rejected her stance, arguing the party’s goal should be to act as a strong opposition in the Bundestag to the politics of Angela Merkel, the chancellor.But her co-leader, Jörg Meuthen, and the party’s leading election candidates, Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel, rejected her stance, arguing the party’s goal should be to act as a strong opposition in the Bundestag to the politics of Angela Merkel, the chancellor.
Shortly after the packed press conference opened in Berlin, Petry said “after a long period of contemplation” she would not join the party in the Bundestag and instead serve as an independent MP for her constituency in Saxony, where she narrowly beat the Christian Democrats.Shortly after the packed press conference opened in Berlin, Petry said “after a long period of contemplation” she would not join the party in the Bundestag and instead serve as an independent MP for her constituency in Saxony, where she narrowly beat the Christian Democrats.
She stood up and walked out with a smile, leaving her party colleagues looking stunned and prompting gasps from the press corps. Meuthen accused Petry of “dropping a bomb”, adding: “That was not discussed with us in advance. We knew nothing about it.” She stood up and walked out with a smile, leaving her party colleagues looking stunned and prompting gasps from the press corps. Meuthen accused Petry of “dropping a bomb”, adding: “That was not discussed with us in advance. We knew nothing about it.
Weidel said Petry’s walkout was “hard to beat in terms of irresponsibility”, and urged her to leave the party altogether “to prevent further harm”.
Germany’s rightwing populists will arrive in the Bundestag with the best result for any new party since 1949, a higher share of the vote than either the Greens or the leftwing Die Linke have achieved in several decades.
In the states that used to form East Germany, AfD looks likely to become the second-largest party.
Founded by a group of economics professors in protest against Greek bailout programmes, the party’s success in the east shows the extent to which it has broadened its appeal and has reached out to those who feel disappointed by their region’s decline after reunification.
Yet AfD is by no means only a party of the “left-behinds”, and its agenda continues to be set by western politicians advocating conventional small-state economics. A June survey showed that the largest part of the party’s supporters, 39%, have a higher than average income.
Though the nationalist wing may not dominate AfD’s Bundestag delegation, its aggressive and taboo-breaking rhetoric has been tolerated – and increasingly adopted – by the party leadership.
On Monday Merkel made clear that the AfD would have no influence on the Germany’s foreign, European and refugee policies. Asked whether AfD’s performance will affect German policy in any way, Merkel replied: “I don’t think so.”
She added: “The parties that are capable of forming coalitions with each other will seek solutions there are of course differences ... but AfD will have no influence.”