The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has formally resigned from the far-right European Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, Vice-President Peter Boehringer announced at the AfD party conference on Sunday.
The move was expected after the ID group ousted the AfD ahead of the European Parliament elections in June.
This happened after Maximillian Krah, the AfD’s main campaign candidate, made highly controversial remarks about the paramilitary SS members in an interview with an Italian newspaper. He said that people who had joined the SS should not necessarily be considered criminals.
The ID faction includes the far-right French Rassemblement National (RN) and the far-right Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV).
The AfD only formally joined the ID party last year, although it had previously been a member of the ID group in the European Parliament.
Krah’s comments prompted the AfD to ban him from campaign appearances and expel him from the AfD’s parliamentary group in the European Parliament, although these steps did not bring them closer to the ID group.
