- Title: Germany's emboldened far right takes expanded role in new parliament
- Date: 25th March 2025
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (MARCH 25, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY (AFD) PARLIAMENTARY GROUP POSING FOR GROUP PHOTOS, HONORARY AFD CHAIRMAN ALEXANDER GAULAND / GAULAND TALKING TO NEWLY ELECTED MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT MAXIMILIAN KRAH, WHOSE ASSISTANT WAS SUSPECTED OF SPYING FOR CHINA WHEN HE WAS MEP, AND AFD PARTY CO-CHAIRMAN TINO CHRUPALLA JOURNALIST TAKING PHOTOS
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: AfD Bundestag Germany Parliament
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001144325032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The largest bloc of far-right lawmakers elected to a German parliament since 1945 took seats on Tuesday (March 25), when a new Bundestag was inaugurated to steer Germany through its biggest diplomatic and economic crisis in decades.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) came second in the February 23 election, the best performance by a far-right party since World War Two, helped by years of economic underperformance and uncertainty caused by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Within minutes of the opening, The AfD group demanded that its former leader Alexander Gauland, the oldest member, should open the session as Father of the House, rather than Left party's Gregor Gysi, the longest-serving member. The rules were changed in 2017 specifically to stop an AfD member opening parliament.
"Your tricks won't prevent our rise," said AfD parliamentary leader Bernd Baumann.
The far-right group in the new parliament is not just twice as large, with 152 seats, but contains lawmakers who have expressed more extreme views than seen before.
(Production: Oliver Ellrodt, Stephan Remter, Tanya Wood, Johannes Thyssen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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