The “Young Alternative” (JA) organization, which was until January considered the youth organization of the AfD, will be dissolved permanently as of today. The decision was made at the AfD party convention in Riesa at the beginning of the year. The opposition party plans to establish a new youth organization that will be more closely integrated into the party and better disciplined.
As of April 1, a new party council will take effect, which includes a provision for a party-internal youth organization. The new organization still needs to be established, with the timing of its founding potentially delayed until the fourth quarter of 2025.
The restructuring was approved by a two-thirds majority at the party convention and is seen as a consequence of the “Young Alternative” being classified as “securely right-extremist” by the domestic intelligence agency. The JA was considered relatively independent from the party, as non-Vorstände members did not have to be party members. In the new youth organization to be established, this will no longer be the case.
Political scientists speculate that the restructuring is also an attempt to shield the youth organization from state repression, as a registered association could have been dissolved by the federal interior ministry at any time. After initial resistance, the JA also decided to dissolve as an association. Members are now being offered membership in the new organization, the name of which is not yet known.