Tino Chrupalla’s book launch signals internal AfD power struggle

AfD co‑leader Tino Chrupalla, the party’s east‑German face and former master‑craftsman, presented his autobiographical book “Handwerk – Meister – Politik” in Berlin. The publication comes as Chrupalla’s influence wanes after the recent party congress in Erfurt, where only about 70 % of delegates backed him – a drop from previous votes and well below the support for fellow co‑leader Alice Weidel.

Chrupalla used the event to rally his base, stressing his working‑class roots and warning that “West deutsche uns Ostdeutsche die DDR erklären” (West Germans explain the former GDR to us East Germans). He portrayed the book as “lobbyism for the craftsman in parliament”. The AfD’s leadership is shifting toward younger, more radical east‑German figures, intensifying the internal contest between Chrupalla and Weidel.

The book launch is being framed as a bid to regain foothold within the party and influence upcoming strategic decisions, including the selection of a future chancellor candidate.