German politicians within the governing coalition are issuing stark warnings regarding the potential for sensitive information to leak to Russia should Alternative for Germany (AfD) politician Markus Frohnmaier proceed with a planned trip to Moscow. The concerns stem from a perceived pattern of pro-Russian alignment within the AfD, raising anxieties about national security.
Marc Henrichmann, Chairman of the Bundestag’s Intelligence Oversight Committee, voiced strong condemnation, stating that the AfD has consistently posed a threat to national security due to the perceived subservience of significant portions of its membership to adversaries of German democracy, specifically Vladimir Putin. He emphasized that allowing an AfD delegation to travel to Russia during the ongoing war in Ukraine should trigger immediate alarm bells within both the parliament and German security agencies.
CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter echoed these concerns, urging the AfD leadership to actively prevent the trip, citing a clash with German interests and the significant risk of information compromise. He suggested a potential legal review of Mr. Frohnmaier’s parliamentary status should the trip proceed. Kiesewetter accused the AfD of regularly acting as a “mouthpiece and extended arm of the Kremlin” pointing to Russia’s deliberate use of pro-Russian parties for disinformation campaigns, influence operations and the division of Europe.
SPD interior policy specialist Sebastian Fiedler went further, expressing certainty that Mr. Frohnmaier maintains “continuous contacts with Russia” and is involved in a broad-scale Russian influence operation. Describing the AfD as a “party of traitors” Fiedler insisted that the party’s threat to German society and democracy requires constant and rigorous explanation. The pronouncements signify a sharpening of political tensions and highlight the escalating scrutiny of the AfD’s relationship with Russia in the context of the war in Ukraine. The warnings strongly suggest an impending intensification of oversight and potential legal challenges directed at the party.
