Alice Elisabeth Weidel, co-chair of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party
The law prevents MPs from hiring their own family members, but the AfD is exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to hire family members of other MPs.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is under increasing pressure due to allegations of systemic nepotismwith several deputies exploiting a legal loophole to employ family members of their colleagues.
The allegations initially emerged in an investigative report broadcast by ARD, focusing on the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The report alleged that family members of AfD politicians were employed by party deputies in the national parliament. Subsequent reporting found similar practices in several other state bodies and the European Parliament.
According to German parliamentary rules, parliamentarians are prohibited from directly employing close family members with public money. However, a legal loophole allows hire family members of colleaguessays .
One of the most prominent figures involved is Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s main candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party has around 40% of voting intentions for the September elections. Siegmund’s father is an employee of deputy Thomas Korell, but the candidate defended his choice, arguing that the AfD has difficulties in recruiting staff due to the stigma associated with the party. Siegmund later described the allegations as “fake news.”
The cases also threaten to undermine the anti-establishment image cultivated by the AfD, which presents itself as a total break with the “broken old” politicians, which he accuses of corruption and nepotism. THE timing of the revelations is also particularly important, given that we are in what the Germans call a “super election year”, with several regional and local elections just around the corner.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took advantage of the controversy to attack the AfD. “We must not only take a firm stance against the AfD on these issues, but also confront it as the party of supposed men of integrity and patriots. The party is characterized by deeply rooted nepotism and favoritism,” he said in an interview with the newspaper Die Rheinpfalz
AfD leaders have already acted, with national co-leader Alice Weidel calling the accusations “unfounded and completely exaggerated.” Co-leader Tino Chrupalla acknowledged the practice makes a “bad impression”, although he later admitted to employing the wife of a fellow AfD parliamentarian.
Despite the controversy, polls suggest that the AfD’s core support remains largely intact, particularly in East Germany. Still, internal discontent is growing, with AfD members in Saxony-Anhalt calling for an internal debate over hiring practices.
