Leaders of far-right AfD reelected at party congress

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, the congress of the German right-extremist party Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland/AfD) concluded. With protests outside the venue, the assembly dissolved with an unmistakable objective for the party: to take over governance state by state.

Weidel in the lead, as Chrupalla drops 

Former party heads Alice Wiedel and Tino Chrupalla have been reelected to lead the party into the next state elections. The heads made their goal clear: entering government and gaining responsibility and power, a move met with a room full of swinging German flags. Weidel specifically called on the delegates of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to soon enter state governments.

Weidel reclaimed office with 81 percent of the votes, while Chrupalla fell behind on his votes from last year with 70 percent of the votes. Chrupalla attributed his drop in votes to the internal criticism he voiced in the past, as reported by ARD, Germany's public broadcasting organisation. According to him, delegates who had employed relatives and spouses in the Verwandschaftsaffaire took offence at his judgment of the affair.

Another interpretation of the figures points to a rejection of the co-head system within the AfD, pushing Weidel to be the sole lead of the AfD. Weidel refused this claim to the ARD.

In an analysis of the congress, the Tagesschau drew connections between Weidel's success and support from party member Sebastian Münzmaier. He is claimed to be the puppeteer of the party's network. With his backing, the younger candidates Sven Tritschler, Hannes Gnauck, Alexander Jungbluth and Maximilan Kneller were able to replace their older, partially more educated predecessors.

Protests in Germany over AfD congress

The congress was accompanied by numerous protests against the far-right party and its members in Erfurt. According to the Police, the 31.000 participants, and stated by the organisers, the 50.000 participants, remained peaceful in large parts. Delegates of the AfD were escorted to the congress by the police.

One of the protests' many critiques was directed at Björn Höcke, the head of the AfD in Thüringen. The federal agency for the protection of the constitution (Verfassungsschutz) has classified Höcke as a proven far-right extremist. His latest appeal requested a new discussion to admit former members of the far right, neo-nazi party NPD, to the AfD.

In the federal elections of 2025, the AfD achieved 20,8 percent and became the second most popular party in Germany. Since then, more and more parties in parliament have loosened their policy of non-cooperation. Current polls show the AfD at the top in popularity. The next federal elections are expected in March of 2029 and will show whether Germany will continue its move toward the far right.