The AfD holds its presence party conference in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Incidents occur during the event.
Jörg Meuthen's opening speech was particularly angry.
On Saturday (November 28th) and Sunday (November 29th) the
AfD will
hold
its presence
party conference
in Kalkar (North Rhine-Westphalia).
Several incidents occurred
during the
AfD party congress
.
AfD chairman
Jörg Meuthen
is criticized for his speech on Saturday from within his own ranks.
The article is updated regularly.
Update November 29, 21:45:
With a strong appeal has
party leader Tino Chrupalla
the
Congress of the AFD
ended.
“You should wash dirty laundry at home and not in public,” he warned on Sunday in Kalkar on the Lower Rhine.
The two-day party conference was marked by a dispute about how aggressive and uninhibited members of the AfD can appear, which the
co-chairman Jörg Meuthen
had initiated on Saturday.
Chrupalla let the conflict smolder between the lines.
In his closing remarks, he thanked the chairman of the AfD parliamentary group,
Alexander Gauland
, who had been criticized by Meuthen for his choice of words in the Bundestag - keyword "Corona dictatorship".
Chrupalla said that Gauland had diligently brought the parliamentary group on course, "the parliamentary group is standing and it works".
Meuthen said the
AfD delegates
had shown that a
presence party
conference was
possible
even in times of the corona pandemic
if everyone behaved in a disciplined manner.
However, towards the end of the two-day event, several AfD members who did not wear a mask were also present on the podium at times.
This was actually only allowed by the city's public order office for speeches.
The office nevertheless drew a relaxed conclusion.
Overall, everything went "calmly and orderly".
Delegates without mouth and nose protection
would have "reacted immediately" to relevant information.
Georg Anastasiadis, editor-in-chief of
Münchner Merkur *
, gave the party a gloomy future forecast in a comment.
AfD party convention in Kalkar: Meuthen speech as "Torpedo" - "Are you crazy ?!"
Update from November 29, 3:50 p.m.:
The
AfD party congress
in
Kalkar
debated
controversially for almost two hours on Sunday about the
appearance of party leader Jörg Meuthen
from the previous day.
However, a motion that confirmed that he was
“divisive”
was ultimately not put to the vote.
More than 20 speakers took the floor.
Some of them protested Meuthen, the other part accused him of behavior that was harmful to the party.
The debate was sparked by a motion from the Freiburg district association, behind which the
ultra-right AfD local politician
Dubravko Mandic
stood.
"The federal party congress disapproves of the divisive behavior of federal spokesman Jörg Meuthen and his party members," was the text of the motion.
"He notes that the crash in the electorate is causally related to it."
The
deputy AfD chairman Stephan Brandner
criticized Meuthen's speech as a "torpedo".
He had done "serious damage" to the AfD and the party congress.
Meuthen is on a “wrong track”, which he “initiated with the split debate” in the spring, according to Brandner.
Meuthen had sharply criticized right-wing provocateurs in the party on Saturday.
He warned against an increasingly radical choice of words, against Nazi comparisons in the Corona debate and the
proximity to so-called lateral thinkers
.
On Sunday, Meuthen specified in the debate about the split proposal that he did not mean the entire lateral thinking movement, but that he called for a distance to “not serious people” there.
In addition, he did not “call for any form of division”, but called for a “new unity in discipline”.
AfD party congress publicly grapples with Meuthen: "Are you crazy?"
Update from November 29th, 12.30 p.m.:
The
AfD party congress in Kalkar
continues to argue violently about the party leader's speech.
“We need a leadership that is courageous and friendly.” This is
not to
be seen in
Jörg Meuthen
, said Birgit Bessin from the
AfD regional association Brandenburg
.
For his opening speech, the
AfD chairman Jörg Meuthen is
currently receiving heavy criticism, reports the
dpa
.
Meuthen had misused the stage for accounting, Bessin explained.
She saw a possible reason that
Meuthen
could not prevail with his proposals for the pension concept.
“Are you crazy?” Asked
the AfD member of the Bundestag from Brandenburg, Norbert Kleinwächter
, according to the
dpa
.
According to him, possible criticism of Meuthen should be discussed internally and not in a public debate.
The debate on the motion to disapprove of Meuthen's speech is still ongoing.
Partly emotional.
Can't say what prevails even from inside the hall: boos or applause.
This party is still torn apart.
Even more after yesterday's speech.
#AfDPartagag
- Nicole Diekmann (@nicolediekmann) November 29, 2020
On Saturday Meuthen criticized “provocateurs” in their own ranks and warned the
AfD
to “discipline”.
He warned against aggressive behavior and uninhibited language as well as against
making unreservedly common
with the
"lateral thinkers"
movement.
Incidents at the AfD party congress: Alexander Gauland has to be picked up by ambulance
Update from November 29th, 11.30 a.m.: Alexander Gauland
, chairman of the AfD parliamentary group, had to leave the party congress in Kalkar in an ambulance.
A member of the party executive confirmed to the
dpa
that Gauland had not felt comfortable.
However, it is nothing more serious.
Party circles announced that the 79-year-old left the premises in an
ambulance
accompanied by two vehicles with Berlin license plates.
On Saturday Gauland had sharply criticized the party chairman
Jörg Meuthen
.
In a speech he attacked Gauland's choice of words and said that there was no
“Corona dictatorship”
in Germany
.
In a speech in the Bundestag, Gauland spoke of a "Corona dictatorship on revocation".
In an interview Gauland said in Kalkar that he does not need "any censorship from
Jörg Meuthen
for the parliamentary group leadership".
Motion against Jörg Meuthen: AfD party leader had attacked right-wing provocateurs of the party
Update from November 29th, 8.55 a.m.:
The
AfD party congress
in Kalkar continues.
On Saturday, around 600 delegates agreed on the party's first pension and social concept.
The successor to
Andreas Kalbitz
,
whose
membership was revoked, was settled.
The Hessian AfD member of the Bundestag
Joana Kotar
is the new assessor.
Among other things, the activity report of the federal executive committee for 2019 is planned for Sunday.
An application against party leader
Jörg Meuthen is also
on the agenda.
The Freiburg district board calls for “the divisive demeanor” of Meuthen and his supporters to be disapproved.
In his speech on Saturday, Meuthen attacked right-wing provocateurs of the party.
AfD party conference in Kalkar: Jörg Meuthen calls for distance from the “lateral thinking” movement
Update from November 28, 6:08 p.m
.: The big topic at the
AfD party congress
was social policy.
This had previously been a loophole in the party program.
Almost 89 percent of the approximately 500 delegates who were present voted for more freedom in retirement, old-age provision for the self-employed and the abolition of politicians' pensions.
In addition, according to the parents, the program is to be reimbursed 20,000 euros in contributions to pension insurance from tax revenues for each child.
A proposal to limit this to German citizens could not be implemented.
In addition, the
AfD
wants to
strengthen medical care in rural areas as well as private and statutory health insurance companies.
The chairman
Jörg Meuthen
called for internal party discipline and distance from the lateral thinking movement.
"Corona dictatorship" or "Enabling Act" should no longer be spoken of.
“It cannot and must not go on like this,” he said.
“Either we get the curve here, very determined and very soon.
Or we as a party will end up in very, very heavy seas in the by no means distant future and possibly fail. ”At the end of his speech there were also boos.
During the event, all 540 participants had to wear masks, also on the field.
In addition, the exhibition hall had to be repeatedly ventilated.
The federal chairman Tino Chrupalla defended the decision to not only hold the party congress virtually and criticized the “emergency policy of the federal and state governments”.
During the AfD party conference: Alice Weidel breaks off the interview - live on TV
Update from November 28th, 4.30 p.m
.:
Alice Weidel
, chairwoman of the
AfD parliamentary group
, broke off a TV interview and left a reporter from the
Phoenix
TV station
standing in front of the camera.
The reporter had quoted from a press article and asked her: "Social policy, the
AfD
does not agree on that either, should it go more in the economically liberal, more in the social-patriotic direction, do you call it, others say social-nationalistic?"
The dispute over the welfare state concept has been dividing the AfD for a long time.
Alice Weidel apparently does not want to answer the question of which concept will prevail at the federal party conference.
pic.twitter.com/X3ggSEKTta
- phoenix (@phoenix_de) November 28, 2020
Weidel replied to the reporter: "What kind of direction, please?" The reporter replied that he did not want to adopt the content of the article and that he had only quoted it for the question.
Weidel
replied that she rejects this kind of question.
"That's outrageous," she said, broke off the interview and stormed off.
Weidel had already left a talk group early in 2017 after being annoyed about the course of the conversation.
AfD party congress despite Corona: Peaceful counter-demonstrations in Kalkar
Update from November 28, 11:45 a.m.:
500 demonstrators demonstrated
against the
AfD federal party
conference in
Kalkar
on Saturday
.
According to the police, the rally was peaceful.
Update from November 28, 10:45 a.m.:
The two-day federal party conference of the
AfD
has started in
Kalkar
(North Rhine-Westphalia).
The approximately 600 delegates plan
to adopt
a
pension concept
.
The topic of a
basic income
for all should
also be the subject of
intense
discussion, writes the
German Press Agency
.
The #Wunderland of #Kalkar in the fog.
You can hear helicopters circling, but you can't see them.
Slightly apocalyptic mood.
The whole place sealed off.
The #AfD party congress will begin soon.
And probably there will be some miracles today ... # AfDBPT20 pic.twitter.com/0qHenuuDxl
- Kristin Becker (@kbecker) November 28, 2020
Sharp criticism of the AfD party conference - counter-demonstration planned for Saturday morning
Update from November 28, 10.30 a.m.:
The first protest actions against the
AfD party congress in Kalkar began
on Saturday.
Police said 70 to 80 demonstrators took part in a demonstration against the event on Saturday morning.
The alliance “Stand up against racism” called for the counter-demonstration.
Around 1000 people are expected at the main rally.
Members of the Bundestag from
almost all parties are to speak there near the event gallery of the federal party conference of the AfD.
Despite sharp criticism, the
AfD
holds
its meeting with 600 delegates in
Kalkar
on Saturday and Sunday,
despite the
corona pandemic
.
AfD party conference in Kalkar: operator of the venue under pressure - protests against rental
Update from November 28, 9:33 a.m.:
Even before the AfD party conference began, the region around the venue experienced the first political tremors.
The reason is not only that the event with several hundred participants can even take place in one hall.
In addition, the operator of the
Wunderland Kalkar is
under massive public pressure.
There are protests against the rental of the amusement park area to the
AfD
.
A local initiative sent an open letter to the owner of the park and to politicians to prevent the party congress.
"I find it objective and good and I appreciate the fact that people in our democracy are thinking about it," said
Han Groot Obbink
, managing director of Wunderland Kalkar, the
Niederrhein Nachrichten
about the letter.
"But if a revolver is held against my head in forums, that goes too far."
Apparently there is also massive personal
hostility
, although he is not considered a sympathizer of the AfD.
Obbink was forced to explain further.
He pointed out that the amusement park's turnover is approaching zero and that its employees receive short-time work benefits.
“The AfD has rented the entire site exclusively.
This gives us a little more planning security again. "
Obbink has since resigned
from his post as chairman of the
Dehoga
district group (German Hotel and Restaurant Association).
For private reasons, as he
informed
the
Rheinische Post
.
In the association there should have been massive criticism of the rental of the Wunderland Kalkar for the
AfD party congress
.
Good morning 🇩🇪!
Afterwards our federal party congress begins in d.
extensive exhibition halls of Kalkar, of course while maintaining a strict hygiene & protection concept.
As usual, we will fight for the best policy for 🇩🇪 in an open, democratic discourse! Https: //t.co/EWnN0wCv8k pic.twitter.com/ILrQDoCLXB
- Prof. Dr.
Jörg Meuthen (@Joerg_Meuthen) November 28, 2020
"Irresponsible" - AfD holds party conference with 600 people despite Corona - demo planned
First report from November 28th, 2020:
Kalkar (North Rhine-Westphalia) - The police are expecting one of the "largest operations in recent years".
The association of those persecuted by the Nazi regime has already announced that an “unfriendly reception” is planned for the delegates.
On Saturday morning there is to be a
demonstration
with around 1000 participants.
Several hundred police officers will be on duty.
AfD - No, thanks: Despite the rapidly increasing number of infections, the AfD insists on the weekend of 28./29.
November in Wunderland #Kalkar to hold their national party conference as a face-to-face event.
We will protest against this loudly!
1/4 pic.twitter.com/uQ1D1bmr5A
- Association of the Persecuted of the Nazi Regime - BdA (@vvn_bda) November 25, 2020
The
AfD party
conference
on Saturday (November 28th) and Sunday (November 29th) in a small town in the Kleve district is casting its shadow.
600 delegates and guests are expected, the mayor of the city of
Kalkar
, Britta Schulz, criticized such a gathering of people during
Corona
times
as "irresponsible".
However, her hands are tied because such a
party
event is
an exception in the
Corona
Protection Ordinance.
AfD party conference in Kalkar: Over 600 people come together despite Corona
The
AfD
had to
improve
its hygiene concept for the
presence
party conference several times.
On Thursday evening it was finally approved, as the head of the public order department, Andreas Stechling, confirmed on Friday.
The party chairman
Jörg Meuthen
said on
Deutschlandfunk
that “every imaginable precautionary measure” had been taken and that the regulations were being observed “with great discipline”.
However, the
AfD
suffered
a defeat
beforehand.
The
Higher Administrative Court in Münster
rejected an urgent application by the party on Friday (November 27th).
In other words, even if the minimum distance is maintained, the participants of the need to
Congress
a
full-face protective
wear.
Should this obligation be violated, the respective person will be excluded from the event.
"I expect a party that is represented in state parliaments and the Bundestag to take responsibility for society," says the mayor of #Kalkar, Britta Schulz, of the AfD.
In doing so, she criticizes the AfD's complaint against the mandatory mask requirement at her party conference.
pic.twitter.com/a9BWgqVR8b
- phoenix (@phoenix_de) November 25, 2020
On Saturday, five employees will be in the hall and another 15 outside at the counter-demonstration.
The head of the public
order department,
Andreas Stechling
, confirms that anyone who violates the hygiene rules will be removed
.
Since the
regulatory office of
the 14,000-inhabitant city only has three employees, several municipalities from the surrounding area will
send
staff to
Kalkar
.
The NRW state chief of the
AfD,
Rüdiger Lucassen, said on
Bayerischer Rundfunk
that compliance with the requirements would be difficult: “But we must appeal to the discipline of our party members.
Otherwise we will fail. "
AfD holds party convention with over 600 delegates and guests - "irresponsible"
On Saturday and Sunday, the main focus will be on social policy.
The
AfD
wants to
decide on its first pension concept
in
Kalkar
.
In addition, two posts on the
federal executive board are
to be filled, including the assessor
post of
Andreas Kalbitz, who was excluded from the party.
The venue is the former “Wunderland” power station, directly on the Rhine.
The exhibition and event halls offer space for thousands of visitors.