The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, are accusing the Alternative for Germany (AfD) of exploiting foreign travel opportunities to generate anti-German sentiment abroad, a tactic they argue is designed to destabilize the nation and bolster the party’s electoral prospects.
Alexander Hoffmann, chairman of the CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, told “Der Spiegel” that the AfD’s actions represented a “more than concerning” abuse of diplomatic resources. He characterized the strategy as straightforward and alarming: fostering a climate of instability is a prerequisite for the AfD’s political success. While acknowledging the legal challenges in directly curtailing the travel, Hoffmann has urged the Bundestag administration to explore any and all means to prevent the perceived misuse of foreign trips.
The accusations have escalated significantly, with CDU parliamentarian Knut Abraham expressing profound worry about a “diabolical convergence” between the AfD and supporters of the “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) movement spearheaded by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Abraham, drawing upon his experience as a former department head at the German Embassy in Washington, observed that both factions appear to be collaborating on a shared goal: the dismantling of the European Union. While MAGA aims to weaken the EU’s economic power, Abraham contends that the AfD is aggressively targeting its political strength from within. He labeled this coordinated effort “a veritable threat to the foundations of our prosperity and peace – the European Union.
Roderich Kiesewetter, CDU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and deputy chairman of the party’s foreign affairs working group, added to the criticism, stating that the AfD’s behavior is a deliberate strategy to “erode our democracy”. The party, Kiesewetter alleges, is deliberately exploiting the freedoms and resources afforded to them within a democratic system to undermine German values and expand its network with right-wing international organizations. This alignment with the MAGA movement and the subsequent attempts to discredit Germany’s liberal democratic order internationally are generating significant concern. Kiesewetter reiterated his support for a review process, which he believes is a “necessary endeavor” to address the perceived threat.