Martin Reichardt continues to lead the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt. At the party conference in Magdeburg, he was confirmed as state chairman. In the next few months he wants to make his presence felt on the streets with his party.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – Member of the Bundestag Martin Reichardt has been re-elected state chairman of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt. At a state party conference in Magdeburg on Sunday, he received around 93.4 percent approval. “I am very satisfied with the result,” Reichardt told the German Press Agency after his election.
The 53-year-old has been head of the AfD since 2018, and Reichardt has been in the Bundestag since 2017. In June, he was also elected to the party executive of the AfD at the federal party conference in Riesa.
In his application speech, Reichardt advocated extensive participation by the AfD in protest rallies against high energy prices. The “mass protests” on the streets will be supported. “Millions of people are hoping for us.” Reichardt announced that he would appear at every demo where he was invited and had time. He will be right at the front, “right at the front for Germany”.
AfD party leader Tino Chrupalla also campaigned in Magdeburg for the protest rallies in autumn. “We have to bring the interests of the citizens to the streets,” said Chrupalla. He called on the members to take part in the planned demonstrations in Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. “We’re painting Germany blue.” One wants to “make legs” for the federal government.
Chrupalla again spoke out in favor of ending sanctions on Russia and putting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline into operation. “German interests first instead of an economic war,” said Chrupalla. AfD MPs should pursue these and other demands, such as an immediate stop to arms deliveries to Ukraine, the state party decided in a motion.
The parliamentary group leader Oliver Kirchner and the member of the state parliament Hans-Thomas Tillschneider were elected as deputy state chairmen at the party conference. The new Secretary General is Jan Wenzel Schmidt, a member of the Bundestag.
In the state elections in June 2021, the AfD became the second strongest force in Saxony-Anhalt after the CDU. The AfD received 20.8 percent of the votes, and with 23 out of 97 MPs, it is the largest opposition faction in parliament. In the federal elections in September, the AfD got 19.6 percent of the votes in Saxony-Anhalt.
