Alternative für Deutschland

The 92 Alternative for Deutschland delegates are seated on the far-right end of the delegate seating. It is the first time since 1933 that a "far-right" party has offered legislation in the Prussian-era edifice.

THE ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY PARTY HAS INTRODUCED A BILL aimed at permanently banning refugees from bringing their close relatives over from 'war-stricken' countries. The move sparked a spirited, sometimes impolite debate in the Bundestag. From Deutsche Welle:

Thursday marked a historical moment for the Reichstag. It was the first time since the old parliament building burned down in 1933 that a far-right party has been able to present a draft law in the venerable Prussian-era edifice, a building revamped and reopened for the new democratic age in reunified Germany during the 1990s.

By Carolyn Yeager

EVERYWHERE I AM READING THAT Alexander Gauland (above), a leader of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party in Germany, has said that Germany should be proud of what its military did in WWII. This gives quite a different impression than what Gauland actually said, which was that he specified 'soldiers'.

A current article by a Jew for the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council is one of the few who gets it right and actually uses quotes rather than paraphrasing and twisting the meaning of what Gauland said. Shmuel Levin writes:

Switzerland voted to ban the construction of minarets in 2009 via a referendum. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas says such a move would be unconstitutional in Germany as he seeks to scare voters away from AfD candidates.

Justice Minister Heiko (the mouse that roars) Maas warns that AfD's "election manifesto" may contain unconstitutional goals. He WARNS in an article in a Frankfurter newspaper that “for the first time since 1949, a party is likely to clear what's known as the 5 percent hurdle to be represented in the Bundestag with an election manifesto that is partly unconstitutional.” What is unconstitutional? He points to the AfD call for a ban on minarets in Germany – those high towers on mosques that call the faithful to prayer. Such a ban is based on the fact that it changes the characteristic and historic look of German towns which are dotted with modest Christian church towers. Maas cites Germany's Basic Law that permits "freedom of religion" and prohibits "discrimination on the grounds of faith or religious beliefs." He omits to say that such a measure would have to be voted on by the Bundestag.

Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party has picked nationalist Alexander Gauland (left) and economist Alice Weidel as its top candidates for Germany's federal election. Notably missing is Frauke Petry.

By Carolyn Yeager

FAR FEWER DEMONSTRATORS AGAINST THE AFD PARTY CONGRESS' 2-day meeting in Cologne actually showed up than the 50,000 claimed to be expected. Only 8 to 10,000 filled the streets, which were easily controlled by the 4,000 well-prepared police on hand, even though two police officers were injured and a police car was set ablaze before things calmed down. Hateful comments from Church leaders brought push back from AfD co-chairman Frauke Petry in her speech on Saturday against their "ugly, deprecating and polarizing remarks." (See more on that below)

Cologne Cathedral

By Carolyn Yeager

THIS WEEKEND, THE "ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY" (AfD) registered political party will hold its federal party conference in Cologne. The Christian churches of this city view this with concern - and are planning counter-events.

The churches in Cologne feel that it is important to make it clear that “hate and intolerance are not a means of political debate.” So said the Catholic city commissioner of Cologne, Robert Kleine on Wednesday. "Because of our faith, we are committed to charity, tolerance and solidarity," he said.

By Carolyn Yeager

NO RELIEF IN SIGHT FOR BJÖRN HÖCKE from the globalist “progressives” in Germany. The German press is also out to take down Donald Trump – much bigger game and much more difficult.

On Saturday, Thomas Oppermann, chairman of the Social Democrats (SPD) in Germany's parliament, doubled down against Thuringia's state Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) leader with the words, “For me, Björn Höcke is a Nazi.”

As reported in Deutsch Welle, Oppermann said, “Someone who wants to resuscitate the ethnic ideology of the National Socialists has no place in a democratic society.” He also said Germany could never again tolerate discrimination based on gender, religion, national origin (ethnicity) or heritage (race).

L to R: Andreas Wild, Björn Höcke, Hans-Joachim Berg of the Alternative fur Deutschland party in Thuringia.

by Carolyn Yeager

DISAPPOINTINGLY (BUT FOR THE SAKE OF PARTY HEALING OBVIOUSLY), the leader of the AfD in Thuringia state took a step back and, while speaking at a state party meeting today (Saturday) in Arnstadt announced, “"I took a big, important topic and unfortunately turned it into beer hall talk. That was a mistake. For that, I would like to apologize here."

He was referring to a speech in Dresden on January 17 in which he correctly described the grotesque Berlin Holocaust memorial as a “monument to shame” and said Germans should instead be encouraged to look forward to a proud future, not always back to a past of only 12 years length. Those words were well-received by the AfD youth organization to which he was speaking, but naturally brought loud criticism from the center and left political parties and establishment Jews.

AfD party chairman Frauke Petry

By Carolyn Yeager

CALLED A SCANDAL by Compact, the AfD party chairman has turned to legal means to stop the magazine from using this sentence I quoted in a prior post:

"The decision fell with 9: 4 votes at the request of Frauke Petry."

The sentence refers to the party's federal executive committee's termination procedure against Björn Höcke just a few days ago. Petry's attorney is asking for damages of 20,000 euros, as best I can determine.

Compact, self-described as the “strongest opposition newspaper in the country,” says they will not retract the statement and they consider the demand an “indecent interference in the freedom of our reporting and commenting.”

Björn Höcke, AfD state party leader for Thuringia.

JUST TODAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ALTERNATIVE FUR DEUTSCHLAND (AfD) in Berlin announced its decision to expel Thuringia state party leader Björn Höcke from the party. In order to move forward, however, it requires a vote in favor by an arbitration committee of the AfD in Thuringia, which is expected to take some time

In Erfurt, Thuringia's capital, Höcke released a statement: "It is with deep worry about the unity of the party that I learned of the decision of the federal governing board,” saying he awaited the decision of the state arbitration panel “calmly.”

According to Compact Online:

The decision fell by 9: 4 votes at the request of National leader Frauke Petry. The four contenders [against removal] came from Andre Poggenburg, Alexander Gauland, Jörg Meuthen and Armin-Paul Hampel. Compact magazine opines:

the regional associations in the East will not allow the exclusion of one of their most successful politicians [Höcke]. Frauke Petry has to fear that she will be overthrown in her own Saxon state association in Saxony at the beginning of March.