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#AFD: MEP Beatrix von Storch leaves ECR group to join EFDD

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h_52565241-714x467On Friday 8 April, MEP Beatrix von Storch (pictured) from the German party AFD confirmed her resignation from the ECR group in the European Parliament. On her Twitter account she wrote in German: "Today I declared my resignation from ECR group and my accession to EFDD group."

von Storch Twitter announcement

In March 2016, the ECR group had asked Beatrix von Storch and her colleague Marcus Pretzell, the only two AFD politicians in the European Parliament, to leave the group following controversial AFD utterances about shooting refugees.

In an interview with EU Reporter from early March 2016, von Storch declared that they had stepped back from these quotes and would not campaign for shooting refugees. In addition, she did not see a reason for leaving the ECR group back then because "the group has not reached the majority of votes to make us leave. But we are aware of the fact that some members want us to leave!"

This fact has probably speeded up the process of leaving voluntarily and von Storch decided to join the EFDD group. The EFDD group, where UKIP leader Nigel Farage is a member of, welcomed the AFD on their website. “The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group welcomes German MEP Beatrix von Storch as a new member," they announced. "We are pleased that such a prominent and respected member of the AfD Party subscribes fully to our Charter and will work with us for a Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy."

Background

With being founded in 2013, the AFD party is a relatively new party in Germany and currently very successful. In the recent regional elections in three German Federal States the party became either second or third placed party and is now part of the regional parliaments. The AFD is making most of its success out of opposing to Chancellor Angela Merkel's refugee policies. In addition, AFD campaigns for leaving the Eurozone and is making itself strong for more national politics. The party is eurosceptic and right-wing.

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