On 1 October, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Russia supports the «Alternative for Germany» (AfD) party. According to Bloomberg, he linked this to Moscow’s attempts to weaken Germany and its support for Ukraine.
Briefly about the main points
- Merz stated that Russia supports the AfD, according to Bloomberg.
- The Chancellor warned of new Russian hybrid attacks.
- The AfD came first in two state elections in September.
- The party opposes arms supplies to Ukraine and supports the launch of Nord Stream.
What the German Chancellor said
According to Merz, Moscow is attempting to divide German society and weaken Germany. He also mentioned hybrid attacks and social media bots linked to Moscow.
The Chancellor warned of further Russian hybrid attacks and reaffirmed his continued support for Ukraine. At the same time, the statement regarding support AfD Russia is based on a statement attributed to Merz, rather than an independently established fact regarding the party’s funding or coordination.
The election result and the AfD’s position
In September, the AfD came first in the state parliament elections: on 6 September, the party secured 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, and on 20 September, 38.2% in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania.
Coming first in terms of the number of votes does not automatically lead to the formation of state governments. In Saxony-Anhalt, for example, the AfD does not have an absolute majority.
In its own policy documents, the party opposes arms supplies to Ukraine, calls for the lifting of sanctions against Russia and the resumption of trade with it, and advocates the repair and commissioning of Nord Stream. These positions do not constitute evidence of the AfD’s support for Russia, as claimed by Merz.
