AfD: Gauland leaves the party conference in an ambulance - violent criticism of Meuthen

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The AfD party congress in Kalkar on Sunday debated controversially for almost two hours about the appearance of party leader Jörg Meuthen from the previous day.

Before that, there was an incident: The chairman of the AfD parliamentary group, Alexander Gauland, had to leave the federal party conference early.

A spokesman said the 79-year-old honorary chairman had a small vein burst in the nose.

According to information from party circles, Gauland then left the premises in an ambulance.

Co-parliamentary group leader Alice Weidel gave the party congress at Gauland's request “warm greetings from the hospital”.

"He's fine, he's doing well," said Weidel.

Gauland had also sharply criticized party chairman Jörg Meuthen on Saturday after he had given a controversial speech.

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Meuthen had said, among other things, that there was no “Corona dictatorship” in Germany and probably also referred to Gauland, who spoke of a “Corona dictatorship on revocation” in a speech in the Bundestag.

The so criticized again said in an interview in Kalkar that he does not need "any censorship from Jörg Meuthen for the parliamentary group leadership".

There was also some strong criticism from the delegates on Sunday, for example from Brandenburg.

"We need leadership that is courageous and friendly," said Birgit Bessin, who spoke for the regional association there, that neither can be seen at Meuthen.

Meuthen misused the stage "for accounting", possibly because he was unable to assert himself with his proposals for a pension concept.

“Are you crazy?” Asked Norbert Kleinwächter, member of the Bundestag, from Brandenburg.

Instead of starting a public debate about the party leader, possible criticism should be discussed internally.

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Meuthen himself, meanwhile, defended his settlement with right-wing provocateurs in his own ranks.

"That was a call to order to the party, which seemed necessary to me," said Meuthen on Sunday to the Phoenix broadcaster about his speech at the federal party conference in Kalkar the day before.

The fact that in addition to applause there were also boos, "that's the way it is when you give a speech that you can perhaps classify as an incendiary speech".

Meuthen heard “more applause” than disapproval

There was "significantly more applause" than expressions of disapproval, said Meuthen.

The AfD must present its concerns "in an appropriate tone".

With an "overturning" it is damaging its own cause.

If there is “widespread lack of discipline, a call to order must be issued”.

He thinks it is right to have spoken like that.

Meuthen had sharply criticized right-wing provocateurs in the AfD on Saturday.

He warned of NS comparisons in the Corona debate and the proximity to the "lateral thinking" movement.

Among other things, Meuthen did not call it wise to speak of a "Corona dictatorship".

This was also directed against AfD parliamentary group leader Alexander Gauland, who had used the term in the Bundestag.

Gauland called the speech "divisive".

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With regard to the protection of the constitution, Meuthen said that he considered it to be a politically “instrumentalized authority that has the firm intention of placing us under observation”.

Then the AfD should not make the mistake of "delivering arguments to them free of charge".

He announced that the AfD would “take all legal steps” against possible observation of the entire party.

Regarding the role of the Thuringian AfD right winger Björn Höcke, Meuthen said that he was a “pure state politician” and should “keep the ball a little flatter”.

The pension concept has already been decided

The party conference continued on Sunday.

An application in which Jörg Meuthen was certified as having “divisive behavior” was ultimately not put to the vote.

More than 20 speakers in total took the floor.

A part of them protested Meuthen, the other part accused him of behavior that was harmful to the party.

Actually, the second and last day should mainly be about organizational issues, such as changes to the electoral, financial and contribution regulations.

On Saturday, the more than 500 delegates had already decided on a socio-political concept that provides for more flexible retirement and is intended to prevent old-age poverty among people with long-term employment.