[Redmen4ever]

This is a split in one of the state parliaments. AfD elected 18 deputies to the Landtag (state house) of Meckenburg-Vorpommerschen. And, four of them have split. The four say they don't want to be permanently treated as radicals, but want to play a constructive role in their state government. They, like Frauke Petry, the former leader who split from the AfD group within the federal parliament, say they object to the rhetoric of confrontation of the AfD party leaders. (Sorry for the long comment, but the original article is in German.) At this point, I will add that we have seen something like this in other countries when new parties actually gain representation in parliament. It's relatively easy to agree to what you oppose (for example, allowing a million unvetted refugees into the country). This doesn't mean you agree on what you are for. Plus, there are personality issues. Some people aren't good sports about being replaced by a new party leader.

[House Atreides]

If I’m understanding things correctly, the current leadership (the ones that replaced Petry) of the AfD with their “more confrontational” approach may be responsible for the AfD success in the recent election. Is that understanding correct?

[pepsionice]

The AfD, from day one when they were purely the anti-Euro party....has been an umbrella group with mostly unusual characters showing up to be part of the top level.

Bernd Lucke, the original guy who designed and built the party, gone since the summer of 2015. When he walked out...it’s said that roughly 20-percent of the membership packed up and left with him.

All of the 5.3 million votes for the AfD? It’s safe to say that over half of the votes were merely frustration votes given to them because they were the only major party with an anti-immigrate theme. If any of the five other parties had picked up the topic and had solutions listed out...they would have picked up the votes instead.

[Steve Van Doorn]

"The four say they don't want to be permanently treated as radicals, but want to play a constructive role in their state government."

This doesn't sound like they're of sound mind. It wouldn't matter what they believe if they're anti-mass immigration they will be treated as dirt.

[aquila48]

“The four say they don’t want to be permanently treated as radicals, but want to play a constructive role in their state government. “

Sounds like the German right wingers are as spineless, eager to cave and “reach across the aisle” as our republican eunuchs - they so yearn to be “liked”.

[Berlin_Freeper]

The long knives are out. After only a day.