AfD hit by widening nepotism scandal over taxpayer-funded family hires

Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been ensnared in a widening nepotism scandal following revelations that party officials utilized taxpayer funds to employ family members.

In the East German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where a pivotal election is scheduled for September, the party’s lead candidate is among those named in recent investigative media reports.

Ulrich Siegmund, a member of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament and a figure who could potentially become the AfD’s first state premier, saw his father employed in the Bundestag by another lawmaker. According to an investigation by public broadcaster ZDF, the elder Siegmund receives an annual salary exceeding €92,000.

Reports indicate that relatives of at least three other senior figures within the party’s regional branch have been hired under similar arrangements.

Siegmund, who is on the verge of what he describes as a “historic sensation” in Saxony-Anhalt, has attempted to frame these allegations as a calculated effort to discredit both himself and the party.

In the latest of two videos shared with his Instagram followers on Friday, the 35-year-old Siegmund did not deny the claims regarding his father. Instead, he argued that the priority for the party is to hire individuals it can “trust.”

In a previous post, he claimed the party faced a constant risk of infiltration by undercover journalists or Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.

Meanwhile, party co-chair Tino Chrupalla addressed the issue during a television interview on Sunday night. While he emphasized that no rules had been violated and noted that other parties also employ family members, he admitted that the allegations left a “bad taste.”

The AfD achieved historic success in last year’s Bundestag elections, securing second place. Since then, it has continued to rise in the polls and is currently competing for the top spot with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU).

In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD’s support stands at approximately 40%. Should the party secure an absolute majority in the state, it would control its first regional parliament and gain a seat in the Bundesrat—the upper house of the national parliament, which holds the power to approve or reject legislation.

The latest disclosures appear to be part of a broader internal power struggle within the Saxony-Anhalt AfD, characterized by cross-accusations between former regional secretary-general Jan Wenzel Schmidt and his local rivals.

Schmidt himself is embroiled in nepotism allegations, facing accusations of employing the wife of the AfD’s deputy group leader in Saxony-Anhalt within his office.

In another instance, lawmaker Thomas Korell employs the parents of Matthias Büttner, a member of the Saxony-Anhalt regional parliament, paying each of them €556 per month from a taxpayer-funded salary.

According to Die Zeit, three siblings of another party official, Tobias Rausch, work for Claudia Weiss, another member of the Bundestag. Rausch confirmed the employment of his family members to the newspaper.

Reports further state that Weiss’s daughter is employed by the AfD parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt. Additionally, Rausch’s brother-in-law works for another AfD lawmaker, while his wife serves as a consultant for the AfD state parliamentary group.

While members of the Bundestag are prohibited from employing their own family members, the rules do not forbid the employment of a colleague’s relatives.

Nevertheless, opponents of the AfD have seized on these revelations, hoping to criticize a party that presents itself as an alternative to the established political elite.

Sven Schulze, the chairman of the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt, accused the AfD of adopting “clan-like structures.”

“I am speechless at how shamelessly the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is exploiting the state and funneling taxpayer money to their own families,” Schulze told the Bild newspaper.

However, previous scandals have largely failed to erode the party’s support. These have ranged from criminal investigations into suspected espionage for Russian and Chinese intelligence to the repeated use of Nazi-era slogans, which constitutes a criminal offense in Germany.