The alternative for Germany (AfD) threatens apparently a party donation affair. According to research by WDR, NDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung", between July and September 2017, ie in the year of the general election, the party accepted several donations totaling around 130,000 euros from Switzerland - possibly violating the party law.
Sender of the donation was a pharmaceutical company from Zurich, it was said. The money flowed in 18 tranches of mostly 9,000 Swiss francs on the savings account of the AfD district association Lake Constance. As purpose the company indicated "campaign donation Alice Weidel". The occupied bank statements that WDR, NDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" were able to see. Weidel is co-chair of the right-wing populist party in the Bundestag, on Lake Constance is their constituency.
At the request of the research network, Weidel stated that in September 2017 she first heard about the "uninvited" donation and later called for a repayment. There were "concerns about legality".
Weidel insists ignorance of the donor's motives
However, the repayment did not take place until April 2018. Weidel explained that she had trusted in the proper handling of the treasurer with the donation. She also has "no information" about the background of the pharmaceutical company, its owner and the motives of the donation.
The party lawyer Martin Morlok told the media on the process: "It is undoubtedly an illegal party donation, because it comes from non-EU countries." The legislature prohibits such donations abroad, because he "does not want that political stripping be drawn from abroad with funds."
Illegal donations must be repaid immediately
In addition, donations of more than € 50,000 must, in principle, immediately be reported to the Bundestag administration, and they must be published immediately. The denomination may have the goal of circumventing this rule. Even the late repayment rated Morlok as a mistake. Illegally accepted donations would either have to be repaid immediately or, if they were noticed later, forwarded to the President of the Bundestag.
The Baden-Württemberg AfD country chief Ralf Özkara had learned from WDR, NDR and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" on the possible existence of such an account and then initiated an investigation. Asked about the process, he said that the state association "from 2017 is still no accountability report of the district of Lake Constance" available. Nevertheless, Özkara stated: "All those who knew that such a donation was received bear responsibility for this great donation." If Weidel knew about it, she would bear the "primary responsibility". If the donation is illegal, he expects that Weidel "withdraws from all offices and mandates".
LobbyControl, a non-profit association committed to more transparency in political decision-making, called the money flow from Switzerland "unacceptable". Weidel could not excuse himself as a named beneficiary, said Ulrich Müller of LobbyControl on Sunday evening. This is already the third case of dubious flows of money from Switzerland. "For years, the AfD has benefited from millions of campaign help, which is handled by an agency in Switzerland," said Müller.