Overview
- The AfD congress, which took place Saturday, July 4, concluded with co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla re-elected and a new federal executive slated to be confirmed by delegates.
- Large organised protests tried to block the meeting with sit-ins, street blockades and marches, and police and organisers gave crowd estimates ranging from about 20,000 to more than 30,000 participants.
- Authorities deployed a major security operation with roughly 6,000 officers from Thuringia supported by other Länder and federal police and made repeated interventions to clear blockades and remove some protesters.
- Despite the disruptions many of the roughly 600 AfD delegates arrived before dawn to avoid the demonstrations and the congress opened without delay as leaders framed the party as ready to govern.
- The choice of Erfurt drew sharp criticism because it coincides with the centenary of a 1926 Nazi gathering in nearby Weimar, and coverage split between outlets that emphasised protest and symbolism and those that focused on AfD’s electoral momentum and rising poll numbers.