The AfD federal board has imposed a ban on appearances by Maximilian Krah, the lead candidate for the European elections, due to his trivializing comments about the SS and the announcement by the Rassemblement National to terminate their cooperation in the EU Parliament. The Rassemblement National led by Marine Le Pen has broken ties with the AfD because of Krah’s remarks. Krah announced his resignation from the party’s top body and will no longer have any campaign appearances before the European elections.
Krah confirmed his resignation during a federal board meeting, stating that his comments were being misused to harm the party. He emphasized the need for the AfD to maintain unity and announced his decision to step down from further campaign appearances and resign from the federal board. The Rassemblement National decided to end their collaboration with the AfD in the Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament following Krah’s controversial interview where he denied that SS officers were criminals.
Despite the lack of a formal decision on a ban on appearances, the party leadership and other board members supported Krah’s decision to withdraw. AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla also expressed their approval of Krah’s retreat and plan to engage with European partners. Weidel has already discussed the issue with Herbert Kickl, the federal chairman of the Austrian FPÖ, emphasizing the importance of remaining in the ID group.
Marine Le Pen criticized the AfD for its continuous provocations, stating that it was time to break ties with the movement. Hessian AfD politicians are calling for further measures against Krah and Petr Bystron, who is second on the AfD’s list for the European elections. An application sent to the federal board proposes revoking the membership rights of Krah and Bystron and excluding Krah from the delegation in the European Parliament. It also calls for a complete suspension of all campaign activities by Krah and Bystron.
The decision by the AfD to ban Krah from campaign appearances and the calls for further actions against him and Bystron highlight the ongoing controversies within the party and its relationships with other right-wing groups in Europe. The resignation and distancing from Krah come as a response to his inflammatory remarks regarding SS officers, which have led to the rupture of ties with the Rassemblement National and raised concerns within the AfD leadership about maintaining unity and credibility. The developments surrounding Krah’s exit from the federal board shed light on the internal divisions and external alliances shaping the political landscape in Germany and Europe.
