AfD convenes Democracy Congress in Berlin featuring Hans‑Georg Maaßen

The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) organized a two‑day "Democracy Congress" at the Bundestag's Paul‑Löbe‑Haus, drawing about 500 guests and 50 journalists. The opening day began with greetings from party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, followed by speeches from former Czech president Václav Klaus and Czech parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura on free speech in the EU. Former Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution head Hans‑Georg Maaßen addressed "EU sanctions and the risk of state overreach" and discussed broader concerns about freedom of expression.

AfD MEP Petr Bystron joined a panel on the state of free speech in the EU, while the second day shifted focus to media issues. Participants included Swiss World Week editor Roger Köppel, Junge Freiheit editor Dieter Stein, political scientist Ulrike Guérot, and media scholar Michael Meyen. Topics covered the Digital Services Act, the German Media State Contract, public‑broadcast fees, and the role of NGOs in media regulation. Additional forums examined parliamentary democracy, separation of powers, and the German law on incitement to hatred.

The congress framed its agenda under the motto "Freedom of Speech – Media – Human Rights," positioning the AfD as a defender of what it sees as eroding democratic liberties in Germany and the European Union.