The AfD wants to attract new attention with a protest campaign against inflation and rising energy prices.

AfD chairman Tino Chrupalla said in Berlin on Tuesday that the federal government was "not in Germany's interest" with the sanctions against Russia and the resulting increase in the price of natural gas and other energy sources.

The AfD will therefore “take to the streets weekly from autumn on Mondays”.

It is hoped that there will be a lot of support “from the public and companies”.

Johannes Leithauser

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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Chrupalla said the AfD was the only party "closely" demanding the immediate use of the completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which has not yet been put into operation.

The AfD leader said Russia was able to deliver the “cheapest gas” to Germany.

AfD calls for higher relief payments

Chrupalla also said that he currently considers Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a "reliable supplier".

Putin himself said he wanted to fulfill the gas supply contracts with Germany.

If the sanctions that Germany, together with other EU countries, imposed on Russia were lifted, then “the gas would be reliably delivered again”.

The AfD is also demanding higher relief payments for the population from the federal government in order to compensate for rising energy prices.

The basic security must be increased in line with inflation, the basic income tax allowance must be increased.

When asked how the AfD wanted to differentiate itself from the Left Party in its demands and planned demonstrations, the AfD chairman said that the Left Party’s offer “contradicts our fundamentals”.

For example, the Left Party is not united in its support for the end of the sanctions against Russia.

On posters, the AfD promises a "hot autumn instead of cold feet" and supplements this statement with the demand "our country first".

Chrupalla said that the AfD wanted to hold its demonstrations on a Monday because it "makes sense to stretch your feet after the weekend";

the AfD also organized its corona demonstrations on Mondays.

Regarding the fact that the AfD will also see members of right-wing extremist organizations among the participants at its demonstrations, the party chairman said that anyone who wants to demonstrate with the AfD is “cordially invited”;

there will be "no attitude tests", so Chrupalla.

The AfD chairman also did not see his party falling behind groups that are already calling for street protests;

the mobilization begins “only now”, he said.

Although his party will not call for demonstrations together with right-wing extremist groups, it will not prevent members or sympathizers of such groups from demonstrating at an AfD event.

This also applies to flags or sayings that did not come from the AfD.

Chrupalla said, "I support everything that is allowed on flags in Germany".