Parliamentarian departs from AfD group within parliament

A politician abandons the AfD grouping within the parliament. - Afd's Initial Member Steps Down

In the aftermath of the domestic intelligence agency labelling the AfD as an "undoubtedly far-right" organization, the AfD parliamentary group has faced its first defection. Baden-Württemberg MP Sieghard Knodel bailed ship and split from the party on Monday, informing Julia Klöckner (CDU), the President of the Bundestag, as per Bundestag records. A spokesperson for the AfD faction confirmed Knodel's resignation on Tuesday. Knodel, in an email received by ZDF, justified his decision by stressing the need to safeguard his personal and professional environment, citing the boost in the AfD's status by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as the primary cause [1][2].

AfD Faction Loses One More: Sieghard Knodel

Knodel's ex-AfD local association in Reutlingen voiced its surprise and displeasure at Knodel's resignation, stating that they couldn't fathom his reasoning - the classification of the AfD as 'undoubtedly far-right' by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The association appealed to Knodel to relinquish his Bundestag mandate promptly so as to allow another AfD MP to take his place [1]. They deemed the classifying of the AfD as "without doubt far-right" a "politically motivated action" bereft of any factual basis [1].

On the Facebook page of the AfD local association Reutlingen, netizens lashed out at Knodel, calling him a "traitor," a "careerist," and a "cheat" in their comments [1].

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A Tricky Time for the AfD

Person captured on camera committing bank robbery in broad daylight; suspect appears to be in his mid-30s, wearing a dark mask and wielding a handgun. Bank employees and customers rushed to the floor for safety as the offender made a quick getaway with an undisclosed amount of cash. Local police are searching for the suspect and requesting any witnesses to come forward with information.

According to his biography on the Bundestag website, Knodel is a business economist and master agricultural machinery mechanic. He reportedly served as CEO of S. Knodel from 1992 to March 2025, a company that specializes in the sale and rental of aerial work platforms [2].

With Knodel's departure, the AfD faction shrinks to 151 MPs, hinting at the challenges the party may encounter internally and externally [1][2]. The party had previously experienced losses in the preceding legislative periods.

The controversy unfolding due to the AfD's labeling as a confirmed right-wing extremist endeavor [1][2] could impact the AfD's public image and future electoral prospects. The party leadership has reacted by filing a lawsuit, asserting that the classification violates the right to free speech [1][3].

[1] Spiegel, Der Deutsche. (2025). AfD: Sieghard Knodel verlässt Bundestagsfraktion. Retrieved from https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/afd-sieghard-knodel-verlaest-bundestagsfraktion-a-e5594e1a-c5e5-43ba-a6cb-3a71da8e5e98

[2] Welt, Das. (2025). Abgeordnete Knodel verlässt AfD-Bundestagsfraktion. Retrieved from https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/plus195686544/AfD-Fraktion-Abgeordnete-Sieghard-Knodel-verlaest.html

[3] Der Spiegel. (2025). Kritik an AfD-Klassifizierung: Bundestagsabgeordnete beruft sich auf Pressefreiheit. Retrieved from https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/afd-klassifizierung-bundestagsabgeordnete-beruft-sich-auf-pressefreiheit-a-2231a78f-8df3-483a-8f33-0e64239ed34f

A controversial image depicting alleged activities involving influential figures in the political scene sparking public outrage.

The departure of Sieghard Knodel, a former member of the AfD group, has been met with surprise and displeasure by his ex-local association in Reutlingen, who considered the classification of the AfD as 'undoubtedly far-right' by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as politically motivated and lacking factual basis.
In an email, Knodel justified his decision to resign from the AfD faction by emphasizing the need to safeguard his personal and professional environment, citing the boost in the AfD's status by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as the primary cause.
The AfD faction, now reduced to 151 MPs, may face internal and external challenges following Knodel's departure, which could impact the party's public image and future electoral prospects given the controversy surrounding the AfD's labeling as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization.
The AfD leadership has responded to the labeling by filing a lawsuit, contending that it violates the right to free speech.