“Series of Incidents”
AfD excluded from right-wing faction in the European Parliament
May 23, 2024, 4:14 p.m
After numerous scandals, the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) faction in the European Parliament is expelling AfD MPs. This was explained by several members of the group. The most recent reason is the trivializing statements made by AfD top candidate Maximilian Krah about the SS.
All AfD MEPs have been excluded from the right-wing ID group in the European Parliament. A corresponding motion by group leader Marco Zanni received the necessary support, said several group representatives in Brussels.
According to ntv information, the German AfD delegation leader Christine Anderson had previously lodged an objection to the written procedure and demanded to be heard. Supported by six other AfD MPs in the ID parliamentary group, she demanded that only Maximilian Krah be excluded and at the same time submitted a corresponding motion. Only Joachim Kuhs did not support the motion.
“The ID group no longer wants to be associated with the incidents involving Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s top candidate for the European elections,” said the Italian party Lega. Lega MP Marco Zanni is chairman of the ID parliamentary group.
A “series of incidents” involving Maximilian Krah and the German delegation had damaged the “cohesion and reputation” of the group, it was said in the draft resolution, which was made available to the AFP news agency. On Monday, France’s right-wing populists from the Rassemblement National (National Rally Movement, RN) had already terminated their cooperation with the AfD.
The AfD delegation had previously tried to avert the decision and demanded that only their top candidate Maximilian Krah be excluded. His behavior does not justify the exclusion of all AfD MPs, said delegation leader Christine Anderson in an email to the parliamentary group executive board. The motion was supported by seven of the nine AfD MEPs.
The party leadership in Berlin had previously banned its leading candidate from appearing in public at party events. He then announced his resignation from the federal executive board. Krah told the Italian newspaper “La Repubblica” at the weekend that not every SS man was a criminal.