As of: March 12, 2024, 4:17 p.m
By: Florian Naumann
Comments
Press
Split
The Russian election is approaching - and the Kremlin apparently wants the AfD there: three Bavarian members of the state parliament are answering the call.
Munich – If Vladimir Putin wants to be re-elected Russian president this weekend, three Bavarian AfD members of the state parliament will be there as “election observers”.
In contrast to the representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The Swabian AfD politicians Andreas Jurca and Ulrich Singer and the Russian-born Franconian Elena Roon said they were invited by the citizens' council.
Apparently they have already left.
The indirect support in the Russian election, which was widely viewed as unfree, not only angered the CSU - even the AfD leadership in Bavaria and Berlin seemed anything but amused.
“The parliamentary group expressly rejects this trip,” said AfD parliamentary group leader Katrin Ebner-Steiner.
AfD man defends trip to the Russia election: “Dialogue supported by the party line”
Jurca explained to the dpa
that he and his two party friends were invited as “specialists on electoral procedures”
.
The task is to assess the organization and conduct of the elections in the Russian Federation.
Among other things, it covers topics such as: Are the polling stations barrier-free accessible, are reading templates available for blind people in the polling stations, and do citizens or local election observers report complaints to them.
“However, the primary purpose of our trip is to implement the party line-supported demands for diplomatic dialogue,” Jurca said.
The Citizens' Council program runs from March 13th to 19th.
The trip was organized by the welcoming side.
“We have decided to bear the costs ourselves, precisely in order to avoid allegations of bias,” emphasized the AfD politician.
AfD MP Andreas Jurca.
(Archive image) © Stefan Puchner/dpa/picture-alliance
According to Ebner-Steiner, the parliamentary group and the federal executive board have been informed about the trip.
“The reason for the trip is election observation during the Russian presidential election.
These are invitations that were personally addressed to three individual MPs,” it said.
Jurca, Singer and Roon did not travel “as representatives of the group”.
The AfD's federal office said that the federal executive board had recommended that members of parliament not make the trip.
It was initially not known whether other AfD politicians were invited.
AfD “election observers” in Russia: parliamentary group leader criticizes “interference in other states’ issues”
Jurca defended the Russia trip.
Even if the presidential elections and the war in Ukraine “technically have nothing to do with each other,” the war is still an omnipresent topic.
“And we, as Bavarian representatives, have a moral duty towards our citizens to work for peace at all levels.” Participation sends “a signal of willingness for political dialogue, although the foreign diplomatic significance of the trip should not be overestimated should".
My news
The “challenger” is fighting with itself: British challengers are sinking into reading dirt
Putin's soldiers probably capture German Leopard 2 tanks - because the front is shifting
2 hours ago
Söder reacts unexpectedly to the question about his candidacy for chancellor – he reads “I don’t understand you at all”.
Ukraine stops Russia's advance - 1000 kilometers of "dragon's teeth" against Putin's troops
Several Russian planes shot down: Ukraine finds out about fighter jet secret
Range doubled: Ukraine uses a simple trick to combat Russia's superior power in the drone war
However, the plan could definitely cause waves domestically - as well as within the AfD.
Ebner-Steiner emphasized that representation priority in all foreign policy issues belongs to the Federal Executive Board.
“In this respect, it is the only body authorized to represent these issues.” The presidential election is a domestic political matter for Russia and has “nothing to do with diplomatic relations to end the war.”
The AfD's political line is “that Germany does not interfere in the domestic political issues of other states”.
Bavarian MPs should take care of the problems and concerns of Bavarian citizens.
“They are mandated to do this by the Bavarian people.”
AfD people travel to Putin’s Russia election: CSU sees “shame for the Free State”
Gerhard Mangott, Professor of International Relations at the University of Innsbruck, told
BR
that the invitation from the Citizens' Chamber was about state interest.
“This is intended to send a signal internally and externally: Western politicians also certify to us that everything went smoothly.”
In his own words, Jurca doesn't believe that.
“It is a standard task of the citizens’ assembly to invite foreign ‘democracy experts’ to the elections.”
CSU state parliamentary group leader Klaus Holetschek made a clear judgment: “The Bavarian AfD MPs are and remain Moscow’s fifth column.
They are trying to cover up Putin's anti-democratic election and support the violator of international law.
You are a disgrace for the Free State.”
The AfD is repeatedly accused of Russia-friendly positions - and not without reason: in the Bundestag, for example, the party has repeatedly called for gas purchases from Putin's Russia.
“I firmly believe that the AfD is not only a right-wing populist party, but also a Russian party,” countered Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in a government survey in July 2022.
(
dpa/fn
)