Germany’s Far-Right AfD Party Elects Leaders Amid Protests and Controversy

ERFURT, Germany — Thousands of protesters gathered outside the national convention of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, clashing with police in riot gear. The demonstrations reflect the deep divisions within Germany as the AfD seeks to show unity and extend the terms of its leaders, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have run the party together for four years.

The AfD party, which is currently the nation’s biggest opposition party, is meeting in the eastern city of Erfurt to elect its leaders. This biennial convention is a critical moment for the party as it seeks to capitalize on the unpopularity of the government’s economic reforms. The party has become adept at harnessing discontent with issues beyond its signature theme of curbing migration, which powered its rise in the mid-2010s.

AfD’s leader, Alice Weidel, has stated that