The AfD ended its federal party conference prematurely after a bitter dispute. On Sunday in Riesa, Saxony, 55.65 percent of the delegates voted for the premature end, 44.35 percent voted no. This was preceded by a two-hour controversy over an application on foreign and Russia policy.

The supporters of the application included the honorary chairman Alexander Gauland and the Thuringian state head Björn Höcke.

AfD boss Alice Weidel called for the paper to be revised in terms of language and content. There are very “unspecific sentences” that “also sound very bulky,” she said. Member of the Bundestag Thomas Seitz criticized the fact that the text “not once” contained the word war and that a Ukraine conflict was “completely played down”. Such papers would really get the party in trouble in the West, he said.

Other delegates campaigned vehemently for adoption. The AfD member of parliament Hans-Thomas Tillschneider from Saxony-Anhalt said that the application contained “exactly the terms and orientations that we as a message have to send to the outside world. The contrast between globalists and nation-states – that is the world struggle in which we stand, and that is clearly stated here”.

Various requests for not dealing with the topic and referral for advice in expert committees failed. There was a loud argument between the delegates. Party leader Tino Chrupalla was initially unsuccessful with the proposal to continue discussing the paper in the federal executive board. A renewed attempt with the support of several state chairmen was later successful.