Un anticipated visit of a top AFD official to the White House
In a notable development, Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, and Joachim Paul, an AfD politician, held talks at the White House this week. The meetings, which are reported to continue for several more days, included officials from the U.S. National Security Council, the State Department, and Vice President JD Vance's office.
The discussions focused on democratic participation and election procedures in Germany, with U.S. interlocutors providing background material on election law and voicing concern over the possibility of restrictions on free speech. The meetings also served as a reference point for far-right politicians seeking international solidarity, with the case of Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro, being a key point of discussion.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, currently living in self-imposed exile in the U.S. and facing criminal charges, has built close ties with right-wing networks in the United States and Europe. He has positioned himself as a champion of conservative causes and a vocal critic of left-leaning governments in Latin America.
Von Storch and Paul were expected to remain in Washington for follow-up meetings, including at the State Department. Paul was presented as a case study in what the AfD describes as the narrowing of political freedoms in Germany, following his removal from a mayoral race in Ludwigshafen amid legal disputes.
Vice President JD Vance raised eyebrows at the Munich Security Conference in February by questioning Germany's political 'firewall' against the AfD. In a previous meeting at the conference, Vance held a meeting with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel. Vance argued that excluding the far-right party from dialogue undermines voter legitimacy.
Specific U.S. officials who have met with representatives of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Washington are not explicitly identified in the available search results. This article has been updated, with Eli Stokols contributing to the report from Washington.
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