Alternative für Deutschland party conference, 22-23 April 2017

On the 22-23 April 2017 AfD met in Cologne at their party conference. There was extremely tight security as thousands protesting against the AfD and its anti-immigration, anti-Muslim and Eurosceptical message came to the city.

The divisions within the AfD as to its future strategy dominated much of the conference. Delegates took a clear majority decision not to debate the strategy of Frauke Petry as it attempted to adopt its party manifesto for the federal election.

On the 23 April 2017 the delegates selected the right-wing nationalist Alexander Gauland and the more liberal Alice Weidel as its top candidates for the September 2017 federal election.

The manifesto it adopted focused on stopping 'unrestrained mass immigration'. It also called for Germany's departure from the eurozone and reintroduction of a new national currency.

• Primary Source

The Economist, 23.04.17: The triumph of Alexander Gauland http://www.economist.com/blogs/kaffeeklatsch/2017/04/mr-afd

EUObserver, 23.04.17: Alternative for Germany party refuses to shun extreme right https://euobserver.com/beyond-brussels/137647

BBC News, 22.04.17: German riot police deployed for anti-Islam AfD conference in Cologne http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39677510

Deutsche Welle, 20.04.17: AfD party conference: More questions than answers http://p.dw.com/p/2beNS

Deutsche Welle, 21.04.17: Cologne protests as AfD comes to town http://p.dw.com/p/2biJn

Deutsche Welle, 22.04.17: Cologne unites against fractured AfD http://p.dw.com/p/2bjrF

Deutsche Welle, 23.04.17: Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party picks top candidates http://p.dw.com/p/2bkml

Politico, 22.04.17: Mass protest against AfD conference http://www.politico.eu/article/mass-protest-against-afd-conference-cologne-german-elections/

Politico, 23.04.17: Germany’s divided AfD selects new top duo for election http://www.politico.eu/article/germanys-divided-afd-selects-new-top-duo-for-election/

The Local.de, 22.04.17: Clashes as German anti-immigration party AfD stages showdown https://www.thelocal.de/20170422/german-anti-immigration-party-afd-heads-for-weekend-showdown

The Local.de, 23.04.17: Germany's anti-immigration AfD to pick election team at fractious congress https://www.thelocal.de/20170423/germanys-anti-immigration-afd-to-pick-election-team-at-fractious-congress

Euronews, 22.04.17: Thousands protest outside far-right party conference in Germany http://www.euronews.com/2017/04/22/thousands-protest-outside-far-right-party-conference-in-germany

The Guardian, 22.04.17: Protesters disrupt rightwing German AfD party congress https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/22/germany-protesters-afd-party-conference-cologne

France24, 22.04.17: Protesters clash with police outside German far-right congress http://www.france24.com/en/20170422-germany-far-right-afd-convention-protesters-clash-police

Euro|Topics: Debates, April 2017: Does the AfD need Frauke Petry? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/178081/does-the-afd-need-frauke-petry

Deutsche Welle, 24.04.17: AfD's unlikely duo: Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel http://p.dw.com/p/2bo3r

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