Members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) confirmed the current leadership at a party congress held as huge crowds of protesters outside the venue clashed with a massive contingent of police, leaving two officers seriously injured.
The AfD is coming off a second-place finish in the European Parliament elections earlier this month, and is gearing up for state parliamentary elections in three eastern German states where the anti-immigrant and eurosceptic party appears to have an edge in the polls.
"We are number one in the east," AfD co-chairman Tino Chrupalla declared to delegates gathering for the two-day event on Saturday in the western city of Essen. "We want to win these elections, and we want to expand and maintain this position."
AfD co-chairwoman Alice Weidel attacked Germany's centre-left coalition government, the country's domestic security services and recent reforms to Germany's citizenship law in a speech to nearly 600 delegates in the city's Grugahalle indoor arena.
She claimed the country has "degenerated into a pony farm" and warned that "Germany will do away with itself if we don't get our act together and finally put an end to this woke hippie madness."
Weidel received loud applause from AfD members when she said that it was in Germany and Europe's interests "that Ukraine does not belong to the European Union and to Europe."
Weidel also lobbed criticism at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has said there are "irreconcilable differences" between her far-right Brothers of Italy party and the AfD, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a member of Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU).
Two more years for AfD's leaders
Chrupalla and Weidel were both re-elected to another two-year term as co-leaders of the party on Saturday afternoon, with both facing no opposition and receiving large majorities from the delegates.
Chrupalla received 82.72% of the vote, a significantly better result than at the last party conference two years ago, when he received only 53.4% from AfD delegates.
"I'm really a bit overwhelmed," Chrupalla said after his election. A craftsman from the eastern state of Saxony, Chrupalla has been a co-chairman of the AfD since November 2019.
The AfD has surged to national political relevance in Germany during that period, and Chrupalla noted a promise he made two years ago to make the party stronger than ever.
"I have kept my word," he said, vowing that the AfD would change Germany and turn the country on its head.
Weidel's election result was slightly weaker than Chrupalla's: she received 79.77% of the vote, compared to the 67.3% two years ago when she was first elected to the party's leadership.
Party growing, looking ahead
Chrupalla said he was confident with a view to the state elections that are due to be held in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, all in former East Germany, in September. "The sun must rise for us in the east when it comes to government responsibility," he said.
Chrupalla emphasized the successes of the leadership duo, saying he and Weidel were ending battles dividing the party.
He also pointed to how the party is growing, saying the AfD now has 46,881 members, 17,723 more than at the beginning of 2023.
Two police officers injured in huge protests
Two police officers suffered serious head injuries as they escorted a politician through a throng of activists protesting against the congress.
Unknown assailants kicked the officers in the head after forcing them to the ground, a police statement said. They were taken to hospital. Seven other officers suffered less serious injuries. The assailants were able to escape into the crowd.
Activists and police clashed throughout the day with mass crowds of protesters that were estimated to number as many as 100,000 and who tried to blockade the venue and prevent AfD delegates from reaching the gathering.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the attacks. "We need strong democratic forces and peaceful protest against right-wing extremism and racism. Violence cannot be justified," she posted on X.
The city of Essen had tried for months to prevent the AfD from holding the two-day party conference there, but ultimately failed in court.
Congress adjourns to watch football
Delegates voted to adjourn the meeting until Sunday in time to watch Germany play against Denmark in the European Championship later in the evening.
A delegate requested the interruption, saying much had been accomplished "and we can all watch football straight away."
Nearly 54% of attendees voted in favour of this decision in a digital poll, with 46% against.
