Wolfgang Ischinger, chair of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), defended his decision to invite three AfD members of the German Bundestag to the upcoming conference. He told “Welt” that the invitation was extended not to the party as a whole but to “three specialist politicians from the parliamentary committees”.
Ischinger admitted the choice was difficult, but described it as a return to an earlier practice: “For many years parliamentary representatives from all parties-including the AfD-were present, though without speaking or performing roles”.
The former MSC chair, Christoph Heusgen, had not invited AfD representatives for the two years preceding Ischinger’s tenure, citing the party’s conduct in the Bundestag during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj. “I want to be clear: the AfD’s action was shameful and shows why the party should not be given responsibility” Ischinger said. Yet he stressed that the MSC’s philosophy has always been to welcome a broad spectrum of guests from both Germany and abroad, even when that can be uncomfortable.
He also denied any pressure from the United States, noting that Vice‑President JD Vance had criticized the exclusion of the AfD last year. “We discussed the matter thoroughly in our committees and decided to move back to a minimal‑inclusion solution rather than a categorical ban” the diplomat explained. “I was not approached or pressured by Americans”.