The Expulsion of AfD from the Identity and Democracy Group
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has faced a significant blow as its membership in the Identity and Democracy (ID) group of the European Parliament was terminated. This decisive action stems from the controversial remarks made by AfD's lead candidate for the European elections, Maximilian Krah, which have sparked outrage among the ID group's members. Krah's statement, in which he refused to outright condemn all individuals associated with the Nazi paramilitary SS, proved to be the tipping point for this expulsion.
A Fractured Alliance
Marine Le Pen's French National Regroupment (RN) was the first to distance itself from AfD, citing Krah's inflammatory comments as crossing 'red lines'. Joining this distancing move, other parties within the ID group, such as Matteo Salvini's Italian League and the Dutch Party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders, have also expressed their support for expelling the German party. Le Pen and her allies are keen on normalizing their parties to gain broader political acceptance, a strategy that leaves no room for AfD's controversies.
Internal Repercussions and Future Prospects for AfD
In a reactive measure, the AfD leadership has removed Krah from its executive committee and silenced his campaign activities. Despite these efforts, it was too late for damage control. The ID group, prioritizing its cohesion, chose to expel the entire German delegation rather than risk further reputational damage. Even though the AfD still maintains 16% support among German voters, ranking behind the Christian Democrats, this expulsion characterizes a significant setback. Moving forward, the party hopes to form new alliances post-European elections, potentially finding common ground with other factions discontented with the mainstream European political narrative.
- The decision to expel the AfD was communicated in a statement by the ID group, stressing that they no longer wish to be associated with Krah's incidents. This move is expected to have symbolic significance, as the current parliamentary session is nearing its end and will reconvene after the elections.
- Christine Anderson, leader of the German AfD delegation, had objected to the group's motion and proposed that only Krah be excluded, not the entire delegation. However, this objection was overridden by the broader consensus within the ID group.
- Looking ahead, the ID group and its key members, including Le Pen’s RN and Salvini's League, are pursuing new alliances that align with their political goals devoid of the controversies attached to AfD. Meanwhile, AfD appears to be banking on rejoining or forming alliances with like-minded factions after the European Parliament elections.
