The AfD politician André Poggenburg may not hold any party offices for two years.This was decided by the federal executive of the party, as board member Kay Gottschalk reported. Reason had been controversial statements on Twitter.
The Saxony-Anhalt member of parliament and former parliamentary group leader had wished on New Year’s Eve „a healthy, peaceful and patriotic 2019“ for the fellow citizens of our national community. The published picture said: „The German national community has the right of inheritance of peaceful coexistence in Europe“.
Gottschalk said: „This is a desperate attempt to gain attention in a personally hopeless situation, and that does not change anything: this choice of words is unacceptable.“ Poggenburg was previously chairman of the AFD Burgenlandkreis and a member of parliament in Saxony-Anhalt. He can sue for the suspension of office before the AfD state arbitration court in Saxony-Anhalt.
After several racist speeches Poggenburg had resigned in March 2018 to internal pressure as party and faction leader in Saxony-Anhalt. Later, there were disagreements between him and other leading members of the right-wing national wing in the AfD. Its most famous representative is the Thuringian state boss Björn Höcke.
