Former AfD faction leader must leave Lower Saxony parliamentary group

Stefan Marzischewski-Drewes, a prominent figure in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Lower Saxony, is set to be removed from the state parliament's AfD faction. His successor, Klaus Wichmann, announced that Marzischewski-Drewes is no longer a member of the faction because he has left the party. According to party statutes, membership in the parliamentary group is contingent upon party membership.

Marzischewski-Drewes, 60, stated that he did not actively resign from either the party or the faction. Information obtained by dpa suggests his party membership lapsed due to outstanding contributions. The AfD faction has formally requested that he relinquish his seat in the state parliament, arguing that he won it as an AfD member with the trust of the party's constituents. However, he could potentially continue serving as a non-affiliated member of parliament.

Marzischewski-Drewes was the lead candidate for the AfD in the 2022 state elections and has been a member of the state parliament since late 2022. He served as the chairman of the AfD faction from November 2022 to February 2024. Recently, he publicly criticized the state party leadership for a lack of internal democracy and was among those who signed a "protest letter" against the current leadership.

The AfD has refuted these accusations, asserting that "The AfD Lower Saxony is more united than ever." The situation highlights internal party struggles within the AfD, a right-wing populist party in Germany.