New AfD group in Berlin: Maintaining the image of the people

The new Alternative for Germany parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives will occupy significantly more space during its inaugural session this Thursday. Twenty-nine members belong to the party, which is described as partially far-right, representing thirteen additional seats compared to the previous legislative term. This increase establishes the AfD as the third-largest faction in the state parliament. The party secured approximately 16 percent of the vote in the election held on September 20, marking its highest result in Berlin to date. However, this outcome fell short of internal expectations and recent polling figures. Despite the missed targets, the gain represents a substantial boost for right-wing politics in the region. For the first time, the faction is permitted to nominate a candidate for the position of Vice President of Parliament. Financial benefits also accompany the electoral success. Each of the twenty-nine legislators receives up to 8,000 euros monthly for constituency offices. These funds allow them to hire personal staff, creating employment opportunities for individuals from the party’s far-right periphery who can thereby consolidate their own structures. The composition of the new group reflects a distinct demographic imbalance, resembling a gentlemen’s club with twenty-five men and only four women. One of these female leaders is Kristin Brinker, who retains her role as both party chair and faction leader despite the disappointing electoral results. Scandals have not diminished her standing within the organization. Police searched the apartment of one employee on the day before the Berlin election, discovering Nazi memorabilia among other items. Brinker dismissed the incident, describing the individual merely as a collector. Other factions in the parliament have largely rejected the AfD’s bid for leadership roles. All other groups reaffirmed over the weekend their refusal to elect Martin Trefzer as Vice President. Consequently, the Berlin branch of the AfD remains isolated at the state level. The faction is positioning itself for a continued hard-right course while attempting to project a more professional image. It seeks to integrate young party members into prominent roles. Key positions have been filled by rising politicians in their late twenties who align with the ethno-nationalist current within the party. These individuals aim to maintain a serious public persona while advancing specific ideological goals. Alexander Bertram, thirty-eight years old, serves as deputy party and faction leader. He is considered Brinker’s heir apparent and has close ties to the formally dissolved far-right wing led by Thuringia state leader Bjorn Hoecke. Bertram will represent the central issue of migration for the AfD, employing rhetoric focused on remigration. He replaces Gunnar Lindemann, a legislator from Marzahn-Hellersdorf known for his pro-Putin stance, erratic YouTube cooking shows, and verbal missteps. Lindemann was likely deemed unsuitable for representation given the faction’s push for professionalism, as his name no longer appears on the list of policy spokespeople. Two newly elected representatives, Martin Kohler and Jan Streeck, are also pivotal to the future direction of the Berlin AfD. Both are in their late twenties and are associated with right-wing student fraternities. Kohler currently leads the Berlin youth division of the party. The sources indicate that these younger politicians are being placed in strategic roles to shape the group's agenda. The broader context involves the Diakonisches Werk Schleswig-Holstein, a charitable organization under the Protestant church, which recently issued guidelines regarding interactions with the AfD. The eight-page brochure warns employees who hold memberships in the AfD of potential termination. It states that if staff persist in holding far-right, racist, or dehumanizing views, labor law measures will be reviewed. Employees are instructed to ensure that private opinions expressed on social media channels contradicting the charity’s values are not linked to their employer. The guidelines explicitly forbid staff from accepting invitations to internal faction, party, or campaign events organized by the AfD or its representatives. Neither paid nor volunteer employees may participate in such gatherings. The organization also mandates the rejection or return of donations clearly identifiable as coming from the AfD. Public donation ceremonies involving the party or similar organizations will not take place. If clients or residents supported by the charity espouse racist or xenophobic positions, staff are advised to report criminal behavior. The preface of the document highlights that left-extremist positions do not appear to pose a problem for the welfare association, whereas hostility toward humanity, antisemitism, racism, far-right extremism, and right-populism serve as the motivation for its work. Therefore, participation by the AfD in internal events or working groups is prohibited. Joint projects will not occur, and the organization generally does not invite the AfD or similar entities. If AfD representatives attend public events hosted by the charity, they will not be granted speaking rights. The house rules may be invoked if necessary. Recordings, photographs, or interviews intended for the AfD’s publicity purposes are strictly forbidden. Staff will actively counter statements that violate the guiding principles during uninvited attendance. Defamation, insults, or calls for hate and violence will result in the revocation of speaking rights or exclusion from the event. The display of media publications alleged to promote the AfD directly or indirectly is also banned. Political backing for this approach comes from Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Guenther of the CDU. Guenther, who presents himself as a prominent opponent of the AfD and intends to scrutinize spouses of security personnel, regularly collaborates with the Protestant carrier. He acts as patron for social initiatives, including the Schleswig-Holstein Founder Prize, which is co-awarded by the state’s Diakonia Foundation.