Concerns are mounting within Germany’s governing coalition regarding a planned trip by Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentarian Markus Frohnmaier to Moscow, with politicians warning of potential risks involving the leakage of sensitive information to Russia. The trip, announced by Frohnmaier, has triggered a wave of criticism and demands for intervention, highlighting growing anxieties about the AfD’s alignment with Kremlin interests.
Marc Henrichmann, Chairman of the Bundestag’s Parliamentary Oversight Committee for Intelligence Services, voiced his grave concerns in an interview with “Handelsblatt”, accusing the AfD of consistently jeopardizing national security due to the perceived subservience of significant portions of its membership to figures like Vladimir Putin. He stated that permitting such a trip amidst Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine should trigger immediate and thorough scrutiny within the Bundestag and among German security agencies.
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter echoed these alarm bells, calling on the AfD leadership to actively prevent the journey, deeming it detrimental to German interests and raising the specter of compromised information. Kiesewetter suggested that if the trip proceeds, a legal review of Frohnmaier’s parliamentary status might be warranted. He characterized the AfD as a “mouthpiece and extended arm of the Kremlin” alleging that Russia strategically utilizes parties sympathetic to its agenda – like the AfD – to spread disinformation, exert influence and destabilize Europe.
SPD interior policy specialist Sebastian Fiedler went further, asserting his certainty that AfD parliamentary vice-chair Frohnmaier maintains “continuous contacts with Russia” and is implicated in a wide-ranging Russian influence operation. Fiedler delivered a scathing critique of the AfD, describing it as a “party of traitors” whose threats to Germany’s free society and democratic institutions require constant and vigorous explanation. The accusations underscore a deeper political fracture within Germany, raising fundamental questions about the AfD’s role and potential threat to the nation’s security and international relations.