Challenges Await Alice Weidel at the AfD Party Convention
The upcoming AfD party convention in Riesa is poised to be a contentious event for party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. As preparations unfold for the gathering scheduled for January 11-12, 2025, the agenda reveals significant potential for conflict.
Recent modifications to the party's election program, resulting from a member survey, indicate a shift back to previously abandoned positions. Notably, the reinstatement of the draft military service, a long-standing demand within the AfD, has emerged as a focal point of debate. Chrupalla and the committee overseeing the national program initially removed this proposition, deeming it not a favorable topic in light of rising geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning the Ukraine conflict.
However, Weidel seems to align with a faction within the party that supports the reintroduction of conscription, suggesting that the party base may favor this course of action. As a result, a formal request to amend the election program to include military service has been submitted by the program committee.
Furthermore, the party's stance on family structures has also ignited controversy. The initial program draft sought to define family as a unit characterized by security, trust, and mutual support, which would have implicitly recognized diverse family models, including those represented by Weidel herself. Yet, two submitted proposals advocate for a more traditional definition of family, stipulating it as comprising a father, mother, and children, reflecting the prevailing sentiments among the party's grassroots.
Another significant point of contention at the convention will be the party's position on abortion. The current draft suggests a stringent anti-abortion stance, positing that it should remain a rare exception, applicable only under specific medical or criminal circumstances. This has prompted several proposals aimed at moderating this viewpoint, drawing on strategies employed by political figures like Donald Trump, who advocated for a less aggressive rhetoric on similar issues during his campaign.
The future of the AfD's youth organization is also under scrutiny, with plans to replace the existing 'Young Alternative' (JA) with a new group more tightly integrated with the party's framework. The proposed name for this new youth faction has shifted to 'Patriotic Youth,' moving away from the previously debated title. However, the JA's leadership, supported by various prominent party figures, is pushing for the retention of the current organization, which has been classified by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as having extreme right-wing tendencies. The outcome of this debate could significantly impact the party's dynamics and its appeal to younger voters.
Thuringia's AfD leader, Björn Höcke, has signaled that his faction will advocate for the postponement of any decisions regarding the youth organizations, which would delay the proposed reforms.
Additionally, Höcke has put forth several proposals aimed at steering the party further to the right, including assertions regarding Germany's role as a pawn in global politics and calls to amend existing laws related to extremist organizations.
As the AfD party convention approaches, tensions are expected to mount over these critical issues, which could influence the party's direction and internal cohesion moving forward.
