AfD in the European Parliament: Talks about own parliamentary group failed for now

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The AfD is threatened with the loss of millions in subsidies and the right to submit proposals in the European Parliament. The reason: So far, it has not managed to form a parliamentary group. The negotiations have so far remained without any concrete result, a source close to the delegation in Brussels told the star.

The talks are to continue, but success is no longer expected before the federal party conference this weekend in Essen. This will put additional pressure on the upcoming re-election of chairmen Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. Attacks are expected from the camp of the controversial European politician Maximilian Krah, among others.

The new AfD MEPs heard the sobering news on Tuesday morning. According to information from the star Delegation leader René Aust told his colleagues that he saw great risks with some potential partners. This also involved possible relativization of the Holocaust. It was therefore better not to form a faction than to form the wrong faction.

Most recently, the “Spiegel” reported that the founding of the faction was planned for this Thursday. The name would be “The Sovereignists,” it said, citing an internal message. But that will not happen for the time being.

If the AfD were to remain without a parliamentary group in the European Parliament, this would be very painful for them financially and politically. A parliamentary group in the European Parliament must have at least 23 members from seven nations. After being recognized, it receives offices and can hire additional staff. In the case of the AfD alone, the associated funds are said to be in the low double-digit million range. Parliamentary rights and positions are also associated with parliamentary group status.

The deadline for registering a parliamentary group is July 3. However, the parliament will not formally be constituted until July 16. Talks could still be held until then, according to people close to the delegation. There will be no formation of a parliamentary group at any price.

At the centre of the dispute is Krah

In the last legislative period, the AfD was a member of the extreme right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which includes the Italian Lega Nord, the French Rassemblement National (RN) and the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). The AfD also joined the associated ID party last year.

However, tensions had repeatedly built up between the AfD delegation and the other parties. At the centre of the dispute was Krah, who was suspended as a member of the parliamentary group several times. After the MP downplayed the crimes of SS men in an interview shortly before the European elections, the ID excluded the AfD from the parliamentary group.

AfD plans to leave ID Party

After the European elections on 9 June, in which the AfD increased its result to 15.9 percent, Krah was not included in the party’s new delegation. A narrow majority of the 15 newly elected MPs voted for the MP’s isolation. Weidel and Chrupalla supported the star this step.

The result was a mudslinging match on social media. Aust was called a “traitor”. Krah himself spoke of a “wrong path” and declared war on the head of the delegation. “I’m telling you now: he will fail,” he told the “Politico” portal. After that, “the cards will be reshuffled”.

In fact, the RN and other ID parties reaffirmed their determination to keep the AfD out. As a consequence, the AfD is now planning to leave the ID party.