German far-right: the embarrassing trip to Russia by three members of AfD

In a press release published on Thursday, November 13, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, the two leaders of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), stated that they would ‘continue to pursue a policy for Germany and its citizens together’. A seemingly innocuous statement that reveals the turmoil within the party. The conservative German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung rightly questions why the AfD emphasizes the fact that its two leaders will work together, ‘as if it were a matter of debate?’

Earlier last week, discussions were held publicly by Weidel and Chrupalla regarding a planned trip to Russia by three AfD politicians. Weidel assured the Bundestag that she honestly did not understand ‘what we are going to do’ in Sotchi. On the other hand, Chrupalla stated on television that the AfD wanted to ‘continue to maintain relations with Russia’. He further added during a political program: ‘For me, Germany currently has nothing to fear from Russia.’ Despite the controversy, several personalities – including Jörg Urban, head of the AfD in Saxony – ultimately traveled to Sochi last weekend.