Russian Strategists Allegedly Crafted AfD’s Political Positions, Report Claims

The SPIEGEL report claims that the AfD’s positions were formulated by strategists in Russia. According to the report, in September 2022, the head of the department was tasked with developing a new concept for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party at a meeting with the deputy head of the Kremlin administration, Sergei Kiriyenko. The goal was to increase AfD’s poll numbers and achieve a majority in elections at all levels.

However, AfD chief Tino Chrupalla dismissed the report as baseless, saying he was not aware of any document allegedly produced by the Kremlin. The alleged document paints a negative picture of Germany, mentions deindustrialization, company migration and the failed German economy. He also criticizes the current traffic light government and praises former leaders such as Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Helmut Kohl.

The content of the document is in line with the views of some AfD politicians who advocate a policy driven by interests rather than a policy based on values. The report highlights similarities between the alleged Kremlin paper and AfD’s position on issues such as deindustrialization, political competence and relationship with Russia. While some AfD members deny knowledge of the alleged paper, others see similarities in their messages.