German AfD party refuses to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine at its congress

In Germany, the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) did not include in its election program a paragraph condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine at its congress in Riesa, Saxony, on Sunday, January 12, DW reports, UNN writes.

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According to the AFP news agency, Bundestag member Albrecht Glaser proposed to include a provision in the AfD manifesto condemning Russian aggression. He criticized the fact that the 85-page draft program of the party for the Bundestag elections “does not contain a single word” of criticism of Russia's attack on Ukraine. His proposal would have clearly stated that Russia's war “disregards many norms of the international law of war regarding the protection of civilians,” and therefore the AfD “condemns the behavior of President Putin.

However, as noted, 69 percent of the approximately 600 delegates to the congress voted against this initiative.

In the adopted draft program of the AfD, the war in Ukraine is mentioned only in passing, without criticizing Russia. “The war in Ukraine has shaken the European peace order. We see the future of Ukraine as a neutral state outside NATO and the EU,” the AfD draft document states.

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The AfD's election program, adopted by the delegates, in particular, refers to the need to seriously tighten migration policy, and calls “re-emigration” one of the party's goals.

On the first day of the congress, Alice Weidel, the party's candidate for chancellor, said in her speech that she favored “the complete closure of Germany's borders and the return of all undocumented travelers,” as well as “large-scale repatriations.

“I'm telling you absolutely honestly, if it should be called re-emigration, then let it be called re-emigration,” she said.

The AfD also calls for Germany's withdrawal from the EU and the abandonment of the euro, possibly partially. The party's program rejects the deployment of American intermediate-range missiles in Germany and economic sanctions against Russia.

In addition, Alice Weidel promised to restore the Nord Stream pipeline if elected, and advocated a return to nuclear power and an increase in the number of coal-fired power plants. She also opposed efforts to promote renewable energy. Weidel called wind farms “windmills of shame” and promised to demolish them all.

In addition, on January 12, a party congress of right-wing populists decided that the AfD's youth organization, Junge Alternative (JA), would be dissolved and a new organization would be created instead.

In this way, the AfD leadership seeks to tie the youth organization to the party. Thus, it is planned that its members who have reached the age of 16 will continue to be members of the parent party. So far, JA members - with the exception of those on the board - have not been obliged to join the AfD.

Experts also believe that the AfD youth organization will be better protected from a possible ban if it ceases to be independent. The AfD board has proposed the name Patriotische Jugend for the new organization, but it has not yet been approved.

Currently, the AfD ranks second in public opinion polls, gaining an average of 20 percent.

Early parliamentary elections in Germany will be held on February 23.