AfD party conference in Riesa Weidel becomes candidate for chancellor - opponents block roads
Blockades by demonstrators on access roads, police deployments and checks - the counter-protest considerably delays the start of the AfD party conference in Germany. Alice Weidel becomes candidate for chancellor.
11.01.2025, 13:55
dpa
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- The start of the AfD party conference in Saxony, Germany, has been considerably delayed.
- Thousands of counter-demonstrators caused blockades in the streets and had to be dispersed by the police.
- Alice Weidel was elected as the top candidate for the upcoming federal elections.
The AfD federal party conference in Riesa, Saxony, began more than two hours late. The arrival of many of the almost 600 delegates was delayed due to numerous blockades of access routes by counter-demonstrators. The two-day meeting was originally scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and ultimately only started a few minutes after 12 noon. Party leader Tino Chrupalla, who gave the opening speech, called the journey "more than arduous".
Unanimously and to thunderous applause, the AfD delegates elected party chairwoman Alice Weidel as their candidate for chancellor in the Bundestag elections. Tino Chrupalla had previously appealed to the almost 600 delegates in Riesa, Saxony, with a view to current polls: "Now we have to leave the 20 percent mark behind us and continue to climb", with the aim of making Weidel Chancellor. He himself is "backing the frontwoman" for this.
In his speech, party leader Tino Chrupalla also addressed Weidel's online conversation with US entrepreneur Elon Musk on Platform X on Thursday. Chrupalla described Musk as someone "who can reverse park rockets" and said: "We have partners in the West and in the East."
Access routes partially blocked
According to their own statements, various members of the federal executive committee had arrived early by bus under police escort without any problems. Other AfD representatives experienced long delays because they were stuck in traffic jams due to blockades.
According to party circles, the car of party chairwoman Alice Weidel was also held up by demonstrators.
"Remigration" in the election manifesto?
A draft of the AfD's election manifesto, which is to be adopted in Riesa, is available, but many points are still controversial. Among other things, some delegates have suggested including the much-discussed term "remigration" in the text.