The federal leadership of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has warned three of its members in the Bavarian regional parliament that they have traveled to Russia for the presidential elections in March.
The three members of the Bavarian parliament – ​​​​Ulrich Singer, Andreas Jurca and Elena Roon – said they had traveled to Russia as election observers at the invitation of the Russian government.
Jurca explained that the purpose was to assess the organization and conduct of the elections, which showed no serious opposition to President Vladimir Putin.
While the trip was organized by the inviting party, Jurca said they “decided to bear the costs themselves, precisely to avoid accusations of bias.”
Election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), on the other hand, were not allowed in Russia.
The AfD, which opposes arms supplies to Ukraine, has come under increasing scrutiny for its possible ties to Moscow.
Putin was confirmed as president for the fifth time with 87.28% of the vote. Like other Western leaders, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz refrained from offering congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A German government spokeswoman said the elections were “neither free nor fair.”
The federal leadership of the AfD had recommended that the three parliamentarians not make the trip to Russia. According to a party spokesperson, they have now been reprimanded for their actions.
The federal leadership office referred to the party statutes, according to which members who violate the party’s principles or rules may face further disciplinary action in case of repeated violations or similar behavior.
Such disciplinary measures may include suspension from office and, in the worst case, expulsion from the party.
