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AfD internal data leak reveals past criticisms and campaign financing questions
A massive data leak involving over 420,000 emails and 48,000 documents from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has brought renewed scrutiny to party leadership. The leaked communications from 2015 to 2017 reveal that current party leader Alice Weidel previously criticized Björn Höcke’s political positions, describing some of his statements as racist and highly problematic.
The leak also raises questions regarding past campaign financing. Documents from 2017 suggest Weidel may have had more knowledge of illegal donations than previously admitted. Specifically, a 2017 email discusses managing funds for a social media campaign, coinciding with a period when the party received 132,000 euros from a Swiss-based real estate billionaire via pharmaceutical companies.
Additionally, the leak highlights the 2017 “Extrablatt” campaign in North Rhine-Westphalia, where approximately four million copies of a flyer were distributed to support the AfD. While the party has consistently maintained it had no knowledge of the operation, the leaked emails have prompted fresh investigations into the involvement of party officials.
Entities
Alexander Gauland · Alice Weidel · Alternative for Germany · Björn Höcke · Germany · North Rhine-Westphalia
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] More than 420,000 emails and 48,000 documents from AfD internal communications were leaked online. www.news38.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The estimated cost of the 2017 “Extrablatt” campaign was approximately 600,000 euros. www.moin.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The AfD confirmed the data breach and described it as an attack on the German party system. www.news38.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Alice Weidel previously stated she was not involved in the day-to-day business of campaign financing. www.augsburger-allgemeine.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The AfD received 132,000 euros in donations from a Swiss-based real estate billionaire via two pharmaceutical companies in 2017. www.augsburger-allgemeine.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Alice Weidel internally described Björn Höcke’s 2015 comments regarding African and European populations as racist. www.news38.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Alice Weidel expressed a desire to separate her district association budgets from her election campaign funds in a 2017 email. www.augsburger-allgemeine.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately four million copies of the “Extrablatt” were distributed during the 2017 NRW election campaign. www.moin.de