The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has officially withdrawn from the far-right European Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, Vice-President Peter Boehringer announced at the AfD party congress on Sunday.
The move had been expected since the ID faction excluded the AfD in the run-up to the European Parliament elections in June.
This happened after Maximillian Krah, the AfD’s main campaign candidate, made highly controversial remarks about the paramilitary SS members in an interview with an Italian newspaper. He said that people who joined the SS should not necessarily be considered criminals.
The ID faction includes the far-right French Rassemblement National (RN) and the far-right Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV).
The AfD only formally joined the ID party last year, although it had previously been a member of the ID group in the European Parliament.
Krah’s comments prompted the AfD to ban him from campaign appearances and expel him from the AfD faction in the European Parliament. However, these moves did not bring the party closer to the ID faction.
