The ongoing investigations into AfD Member of the Bundestag Maximilian Krah have prompted concerns regarding the potential security risks posed by the party’s parliamentary representation. Irene Mihalic, First Parliamentary Secretary of the Green Party faction, emphasized to the “Handelsblatt” newspaper that the Krah case highlights the danger of having a parliamentary group that demonstrates significantly closer ties to China and Russia than to Germany’s democratic legal system.
Mihalic suggested that individuals associated with the AfD are of particular interest to intelligence agencies operating within autocratic regimes. The party’s presence in the Bundestag, she argued, grants them proximity to highly sensitive information, creating a serious problem for national security.
The Bundestag voted unanimously on Thursday to lift Krah’s parliamentary immunity, a decision preceded by a recommendation from the Committee on Electoral Control, Immunity and Rules of Procedure. This parliamentary approval now allows for the execution of court orders permitting searches and seizures against the AfD parliamentarian.
Krah has been facing allegations of bribery as an EU Member of Parliament and money laundering related to payments originating from China for several months. Furthermore, a former aide of Krah’s within the European Parliament is currently under investigation on suspicion of espionage, accused of allegedly providing information to the Chinese intelligence services.