The far-right party "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) re-elected its chairmen Alice Weidel and Tino Krupala at its national congress in Erfurt, despite mass protests against the party, DPA reported, BTA reported.
Weidel received the support of 81% of the delegates, and Krupala - 70%, with both of them being the only candidates.
Outside the congress center, about 31 thousand people participated in demonstrations against the AfD. Some of the protesters tried to block access to the forum, and in some places there were clashes with the police. However, the meeting began as scheduled.
Krupal sharply criticized the protesters, calling them "the last resort of our political opponents" and stated that no one has the right to obstruct a legally held party congress.
The forum coincided with the 100th anniversary of a Nazi Party meeting, which drew criticism because of the symbolism of the date. The AfD rejected these accusations.
After the parliamentary elections in February 2025, in which it won 20.8% of the vote and became the largest opposition force, support for the party continues to grow. However, other German parties maintain the so-called cordon sanitaire and refuse coalition cooperation with it.
The AfD hopes to reach over 40% in the regional elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in September. "We will win. "Maybe soon we will be able to govern ourselves," Krupala said.
The party continues to push for the lifting of sanctions against Russia, oppose military aid to Ukraine and express support for the policies of US President Donald Trump. During the congress, the AfD leader in the eastern state of Thuringia, Björn Höcke, used the slogan "Make Germany Great Again" - a reference to Trump's campaign.