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Despite the corona pandemic, the AfD meets for the party’s presence conference. The 600 delegates will decide on a concept of the welfare state and pensions, so far a vacancy for the party. And the struggle for power looms over everything.
An analysis by Martin Schmidt, ARD capital studio
For weeks, party officials have been waving their hands with smiles if you want to talk to them about the upcoming party congress. Almost everyone was sure that it wouldn’t happen anyway. Now it is different: while the number of new corona infections remains high and “restricting contacts” is the order of the day, 600 AfD delegates from all over Germany will meet at the weekend in Kalkar, North Rhine. Westphalia.
But they have to wear mouth and nose protection all the time, even while sitting. On Friday, the party ruled a lawsuit against this hygiene requirement before the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster.
However, the desired signal remains: Look here, we can do it, we show that such a big event can also work in Corona times. Unlike the other parties that canceled their federal meetings as a precaution, partly replaced by digital events.
Fear of the “public relations disaster”
But as proud as the party leadership is, behind closed doors even members of the federal executive committee complain that it is “completely unnecessary” to meet now of all time. Also because there is great concern that there will be embarrassing scenes in the party congress. Perhaps the individual delegates of hygiene measures can be demonstratively brought by administrators from the conference room. Or the event will be canceled entirely by the regulatory office of the city of Kalkar.
Anything is possible, say leading AfD members, who themselves speak of many “aluminum hat wearers” in their own ranks. So, conspiracy storytellers who dismiss Corona as a mild flu or a government staging. There is talk of a possible “public relations disaster for the AfD” imminent. Regardless of the consequences, the party congress should become a widely publicized event in hindsight.
“Wing” against the Meuthen camp
The fact that no one openly advocated a rejection is also related to the struggle for power in the AfD, which intensified again last year. On the one hand, the right wing extremists of the “wing”, which officially no longer exists, but whose network continues to function. Among them, there are a large number of crown deniers. Tonangeber Björn Höcke, recently re-elected head of country of the AfD in Thuringia, had the pandemic in an interview with him in summer MDR declared finished. So why shouldn’t a presence party conference be possible?
On the other hand, the side of co-federal spokesman Jörg Meuthen – those who describe themselves as “moderates.” Since the party’s congress in Braunschweig a year ago, Meuthen in particular has become a figure of hatred for his internal opponents through his actions against the right-wing extremist “wing.” First, the “wing” had to dissolve under pressure from the federal board. Subsequently, Andreas Kalbitz, one of its most influential protagonists, was completely expelled from the party. Since then, there have been many threats of retaliation. If Meuthen and his colleagues were in favor of canceling the party conference, the story of the fearsome party leader fleeing his base would be perfect.
This time it should be about content
So now they have to come, whether they want to or not. After all, hardly anyone in the party expects the “wing” dispute to now take place openly in Kalkar. Only one application was received in the run-up to the party congress. “The divisive behavior of federal spokesman Jörg Meuthen and his party members” should be frowned upon, he says. But it is very likely that this application is not even discussed. In advance, he made sure that the conflict does not boil too much, they say from both camps. The party does not always want to be presented in public for what it is: primarily concerned with itself. Deeply divided. Sometimes they fought aggressively.
Ultimately it should be about content. Of offers that go beyond the previous AfD brand core, which until now has consisted mainly of being against the policies of others: against refugee policy, against the euro rescue, against climate policy, against crown measurements.
More help, for the Germans
At the party congress, the AfD now wants to decide its future direction on social policy. Actually, she wanted to do this over a year ago, but at that time no common concept could be agreed upon. Interestingly, the fronts of the current power struggle are also reflected in this content-related dispute: while Meuthen and his colleagues, who come primarily from West German state associations, have an economically liberal brand core in mind. Of the AfD, the strong supporters of the “wing” in the east are for an expansion of the elements of the welfare state, preferably exclusively for the Germans.
More children, from Germans
So far it is unclear where the majority of the AfD is headed. Take the concept of pension, for example: Party leader Meuthen was unable to impose himself with his radical idea of replacing mandatory pension insurance with tax-funded old-age insurance. The same happened to Höcke with his plan to further expand the existing pay-per-use system, including a citizen surcharge for Germans.
The compromise: the pay-as-you-go system should be maintained for now, especially with supplements for people with children. This should make it easier for Germans to decide to have more children again. Because, as the party says in its main motion: Increasing the birth rate is not only necessary to stabilize social systems, but also “to preserve our culture and the continued existence of our people.”
Kalbitz successor
A picture of the balance of power in the party should show various personnel decisions over the weekend. A successor to Kalbitz is sought on the federal executive board, as well as a new treasurer. Both major fields are entering the race with their own candidates, and both are looking forward to a head-to-head race. However, it is unclear whether the corona pandemic could distort the picture. Because whether all the delegates will actually arrive or whether some would rather stay away from the big AfD gathering will only be revealed on Saturday in Kalkar.
