Unanimously and to thunderous applause, AfD delegates on Saturday selected party leader Alice Weidel as the candidate for chancellor in the German federal elections. Earlier, the party congress of the partly extreme right-wing party was disrupted by left-wing demonstrators.
Weidel was chosen as the candidate for chancellor by rising by acclamation. No vote took place with counting of votes. Co-chair Tino Chrupalla had previously appealed to the almost 600 delegates in Riesa, Saxony, in view of the current investigations: “Now we must leave the 20 percent mark behind us and keep climbing,” with the aim of Weidel also becoming German becomes Chancellor close by.
Rights are also increasing in Germany
The AfD has been in second place in voter surveys for months, far behind the CDU and CSU. She currently has no chance to participate in the government because no other party wants to form a coalition with her.
The party conference had previously started considerably late due to blockades and protests by AfD opponents on various access roads. The two-day meeting was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and end a few minutes after noon. Party leader Chrupalla called the journey more than difficult.
According to their own statements, several members of the Federal Council of Governors arrived early without any problems on buses with a police escort. Other AfD representatives experienced major delays as they were stuck in traffic due to traffic jams. According to party circles, party leader Weidel’s car was also stopped by demonstrators.
Heavy police presence on site
A broad popular protest had previously formed against the party congress in Riesa. Various civil society organizations and trade unions had called for resistance. The police secured the location with a large contingent.
The demonstrators arrived early in the morning on buses and trains and blocked major access roads. The mood was heated at times, with demonstrators and police clashing in many places. Sometimes the situation was tense.
In the meantime, it was “dynamic” in the city, says a police spokesperson, “especially in the dark morning hours”. Some demonstrators had to be pushed back and there were occasional attempts to breach barriers. The situation relaxed in the morning. Overall, police said things remained calm.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
