The leader of the Alternative for Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia chapter has withdrawn a legal challenge against the party's federal board and called for de-escalation, after a power struggle over the state's 2027 election candidate list erupted into open conflict.
State chairman Martin Vincentz wrote to national co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla expressing regret over mutual escalation and confirmed the state party would withdraw its application for an injunction at the Düsseldorf regional court, which had sought to block federal interference in the selection process. Vincentz said he wanted to prevent damage to the party ahead of upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The federal board responded to the turmoil by establishing an investigative commission led by former senior prosecutor Roman Reusch to examine the state chapter's finances and membership recruitment practices. The commission will employ external auditors and receive its own budget, while also reviewing whether disciplinary proceedings should be opened against individual members. The state chapter is divided between a moderate faction around Vincentz and a right-wing camp led by Matthias Helferich.