During the party conference in Essen, the current top duo of the Alternative for Germany was confirmed, with the goal of assuming government responsibility in the East soon. Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel will continue to lead the right-wing opposition party. Chrupalla received 82.72 percent support, while Weidel won 79.77 percent but received more no votes than Chrupalla. Despite this, Weidel’s speech received longer applause, signaling her favor among the grassroots.
Chrupalla focused on the “middle class” as the AfD’s target group, highlighting the party as one for “value creators.” He emphasized the party’s readiness for government responsibility, particularly in eastern Germany, in the next three elections. Weidel, on the other hand, stressed the need for improved communication within the party in order to present their program clearly to voters.
Stefan Brandner from Thuringia was confirmed as the first deputy, and Peter Boehringer from Bavaria as the second deputy for Weidel and Chrupalla. Despite a challenge from Dirk Spaniel, Kay Gottschalk won the third deputy position. Spaniel’s call for national pride clashed with Gottschalk’s focus on combating the perceived “brutalization” from the left.
With Carsten Hütter from Saxony confirmed as Federal Treasurer, the conference concluded with a sign of efficiencies in personnel decisions. The role of regional associations in resolving conflicts through prior agreements was noted, raising questions about the balance between professionalization and grassroots democracy within the party.