AfD Federal Party Conference in Erfurt Begins Amid Massive Protests and Security Measures

The party intends to elect a new executive at its two-day conference. Federal co-chairs Weidel and Chrupalla are standing for re-election. Weidel and Chrupalla have led the AfD together since 2022 and repeatedly profess their good cooperation in public. Two years ago in Essen, Chrupalla narrowly led Weidel with just under 83 percent approval versus around 80 percent. A new basic platform is not planned until next year; this time it is almost exclusively about internal elections.

In addition to the re-election of the co-chairs, the party's entire executive will also be newly determined: three deputies, a treasurer and their deputy, a secretary, and six additional members, so-called assessors. Following the confirmed right-wing extremist "Junge Alternative," comes "Generation Deutschland." The dual leadership has "absolutely proven itself," Chrupalla said on ARD's "Interview der Woche."

Dispute Over the Incompatibility List

At the same time, delegates at the party conference will vote on a motion by Thuringia state chief Höcke, which could result in an opening toward members of right-wing extremist groups who are currently on an incompatibility list. Membership in a right-wing extremist organization such as the right-wing extremist Identitäre Bewegung (IB) should therefore be able to "prescribe" and thus no longer be grounds for expulsion. The motion therefore revolves around the question: Who is considered "extremist" in the AfD's view – and how far to the far right does it want to open up?

Criticism from the Greens

Green Party politician Göring-Eckardt stated on Deutschlandfunk that the AfD is not an entirely normal party, but rather extremist in parts. She called for protests and emphasized that blockades are covered by the right to freedom of assembly as long as they remain peaceful. Göring-Eckardt said one cannot pretend this is an entirely normal process. The timing and location of the meeting – exactly 100 years to the day after the NSDAP Reich Party Rally in neighboring Weimar – were not chosen by chance.

Blockades and Counter-Protests

The alliance "Widersetzen" aims to prevent the federal party conference from taking place at the Erfurt exhibition center and has announced it will block access roads to the venue. The first blockades are officially announced for 5:30 a.m. In Erfurt's Andreaskirche, 300 to 400 activists from the action alliance "Widersetzen" gathered in the early evening. At midday, there had been an initial gathering of around 30 people on the exhibition grounds, police spokesperson Patrick Martin said.

A section of the A71 motorway was also closed because thousands of demonstrators there had also set up a sit-in blockade. Police had set up checkpoints on the A71 motorway near Erfurt. According to Martin, Gothaer Straße has also been fully closed since 12 noon. Several tram lines were interrupted. A total of around 50,000 counter-demonstrators are expected. The security authorities anticipate up to 50,000 counter-demonstrators, including hundreds of participants prepared to use violence.

Peaceful Events and Concerts

According to the program of the alliance "Zusammenstehen," the musician's performance at the Erfurt exhibition grounds on Saturday is scheduled for 5 p.m. Several prominent figures have announced their participation, including activist Luisa Neubauer and musician Clueso, who is performing a concert today in his hometown of Erfurt on the Domplatz before around 15,000 people. In addition, primarily peaceful rallies are planned. A total of 35,000 to 50,000 demonstrators are expected.

Events have been registered by, among others, the alliance "Zusammenstehen," the German Trade Union Confederation, Fridays for Future, Omas gegen rechts, churches, welfare associations, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club, and political parties. The AfD federal executive also described the blockades as illegal. Individual party members had previously filed criminal complaints against the plans of the action alliance "Widersetzen."

Major Police Operation

Ahead of the AfD federal party conference in Erfurt, police have registered 69 criminal offenses so far. Tens of thousands of officers are deployed. We have a comprehensive presence in order to actively respond to all situations, it was stated. Therefore, we will protect and accompany peaceful rallies. However, violence and disproportionate infringements of third parties' fundamental rights will not be tolerated and will be consistently prosecuted. The city of Erfurt's citizen hotline for events surrounding the AfD party conference and the other major events has so far received around 300 emails. The citizen hotline 0361 655-2424 serves as the central point of contact for general questions about the major operation and the parallel large-scale events.

According to the city of Erfurt, the following streets will be closed from Friday at 12 noon until Monday at 6 a.m.: Eisenacher Straße, Gothaer Straße, Wartburgstraße, and Am Tannenwäldchen. Stadtbahn line 2 will be rerouted; city bus line 80 will be suspended. On Thursday alone, the city received 150 calls. School reports in Erfurt are being issued earlier today. Schoolchildren in Erfurt must receive their reports today by 9:30 a.m. at the latest. The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) is deployed in Erfurt over the weekend with up to 200 helpers, according to its own statements.

Co-chair Tino Chrupalla said he did not want to see images in the news of "draußen vor den Hallen die Köpfe einschlägt." AfD chair Alice Weidel said on the eve of the party conference at a reception for media representatives: "Ich hoffe einfach nur, dass niemandem etwas passiert". The party leadership hopes for calm. Ich bin auch auf das Votum des Bundesparteitages gespannt, ob man sich überhaupt mit diesem Antrag beschäftigt, AfD co-chair Chrupalla said diplomatically.

Escalation on Social Media

At the same time, according to the initiative "KI für Demokratie," the political dispute on social media is intensifying. Online, "eine sprachliche Eskalation statt, die den Konflikt moralisch auflädt, Gegner entmenschlicht und Konfrontation vorbereitet." The data show no mere disagreement, "sondern eine zunehmend ritualisierte Eskalationslogik." According to its own statements, the initiative "KI für Demokratie" has set itself the goal of identifying algorithms, content, and actors that undermine the principles and values of our democracy.

A call online explicitly announces the intention to plunge Erfurt "ins Chaos". "Mit Hunderten oder Tausenden werden wir einen Angriff auf die Erfurter Messe durchführen," the statement on the internet portal "Indymedia Deutschland" reads. The authors describe themselves as a "Berliner Antifa-Bezugsgruppe." Protest researcher Lisa Bogerts classifies the call as belonging to the "militanten linksextremen Spektrum." Ziviler Ungehorsam sei nicht per se illegitim, says the protest researcher, auch wenn er illegal ist.

Legal Assessment of the Protests

The security authorities expect 50,000 mostly peaceful counter-demonstrators, but also up to 2,500 activists prepared to use violence as well as road blockades. The authorities expect around 50,000 counter-demonstrators, including an estimated 2,500 left-wing extremists prepared to use violence, according to the German Police Union. Demonstrating against the party conference is covered by freedom of assembly and expression – "auch friedliche Blockaden," said Charlotte Greipl from ZDF's legal and justice desk. Whether a blockade constitutes criminal coercion is, in each case, a question to be assessed individually.

Ahead of the AfD party conference, the political dispute on social media is intensifying, according to the initiative "KI für Demokratie". More than 25,000 people gathered at the end of November to protest against the founding in Gießen. According to polls, the 35-year-old can hope for an absolute majority in the state election in Saxony-Anhalt in September. This news was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on 04.07.2026.