Attack on AfD dual leadership: Secretary General to be installed

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In future, the AfD will be led organizationally by a general secretary. A corresponding motion for the federal party conference in Essen at the end of June was submitted by more than a dozen state chairmen.

The paper is star It states: “The federal party conference elects the general secretary on the proposal of the federal spokesperson.” This is followed by a condition: “If there are two federal spokespersons, the election of a general secretary is not possible.”

Supporters include the network around the Brandenburg state leader René Springer, Bundestag parliamentary group vice-chair Sebastian Münzenmaier and the former federal leader of the Young Alternative, Damian Lohr. The Thuringian AfD state leader Björn Höcke has also signed.

Debate about leadership structure in the AfD begins anew

The Secretary General’s duties include: He “coordinates the party’s work, heads the federal office and is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the federal election and the European election.” During election campaigns, the subordinate regional associations are bound by his instructions.

A two-thirds majority is required at the party conference for the adoption of the statute proposal. The change is to take effect on January 1, 2025 and would therefore not affect the new election of the federal executive board planned in Essen. The two co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla are running again.

The move is nevertheless likely to reignite the dispute over the leadership structure that has been simmering for years. The AfD only cleared the way for a single leadership after a long struggle at the federal party conference in Riesa in 2022, but avoided a final decision. The new amendment to the statutes would be the next big step towards a single leadership.

Court dispute over exhibition hall for party conference

The network around Münzenmaier, Springer and Lohr, which also includes the future head of the European delegation, René Aust, has gained considerable influence in the last two years. The EU candidate list was largely based on agreements between the group and the wing around Höcke.

Meanwhile, it remains uncertain whether the federal party conference can take place at all. At the end of May, the Essen city council demanded that the AfD commit to not using any Nazi slogans during the party conference.

After the deadline set by the resolution had expired, the contract for the exhibition hall was terminated. The AfD is suing against this. It argues that a legally valid contract cannot be subsequently changed unilaterally.