Björn Höcke pushes ally into AfD federal board to cement “Thuringian line”

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) will hold its federal party congress in Erfurt on July 4‑5, 2026. Party chairman Björn Höcke is using the event to install his close associate Stefan Möller as deputy federal spokesperson, aiming to embed the “Thuringian line” in the party’s national leadership. Höcke told the dpa, “I know if Stefan Möller is in the federal board, then I have someone with whom I am in close exchange; I can continue to focus on the Thuringian way.”

The move comes as the AfD’s current co‑leadership of Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla remains in place, and anti‑AfD demonstrations are expected alongside the congress. Höcke’s broader ambition is to become a state minister‑president, and the party is gearing up for crucial state elections in Berlin, Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern later in the year. The strategy also raises questions about the role of fellow deputy speaker Stephan Brandner, who could be positioned as a board member.

Höcke emphasized party loyalty and a confrontational stance toward the domestic intelligence service, saying, “Never change a winning team.” The internal power shift is seen as an attempt to steer the AfD’s direction ahead of upcoming regional polls.