The AfD deceives itself - and its voters along with it - 700,000 Ukrainians are to be deported

Tino Chrupalla once again tried to present himself as someone who wants to keep distance from the most radical voices in his own party. But he cannot do it, and that shows how radical this party truly is. Because as soon as the wind shifts a little, he suddenly demands, in the usual AfD manner, a “mass deportation.” 1,000,000 must go, he says – including the roughly 700,000 Ukrainians who fled Putin’s war to Germany. The same man who just warned against “excessive demands” now speaks like someone who has lost all sense of proportion. And it fits a party that has spent years trying to hide its radicalism behind changing facades.

Even today, the party leadership acted disturbed by the appearance of Alexander Eichwald, AfD, as if they had nothing to do with his demands. They pretended he was a lone actor, someone who stepped out of line and therefore had to be checked. But now that Chrupalla repeats the same demands almost word for word, it is clear how little distance ever existed. The fact that Eichwald received twelve percent of the vote on November 29 in the so-called “Generation D” only shows how receptive some voters have become to extreme slogans. The AfD never truly contradicted Eichwald internally, even if some AfD supporters expressed outrage over the appearance – although the biggest issue for many seemed to be that he said “Genossen” instead of “Kameraden,” which sent a former Marine into a rage. In such sensitive areas, a background check might not be the worst idea. On the official website of the Herford city council, Eichwald appears as a “knowledgeable citizen.” He works there for the AfD group in the council and has served since autumn 2025, including on the youth welfare committee. The controversial AfD member of parliament Matthias Helferich confirmed that Eichwald comes from his North Rhine-Westphalia state association. He called the appearance “entertaining, but crazy.”

The contradictions run through this entire party. A right-wing movement that claims to stand for security wants to deport refugees from an active war zone in large numbers. A party that presents itself as the voice of the “little man” demands measures that hurt exactly those who already struggle to breathe. A party that claims to fight against “paternalism” relies on fear and propaganda. And while doing all this, it sells its own indecision to its supporters as strength. It does not get much weaker than that, and there is no need to even begin discussing this party’s ability to govern. Failed.

The AfD deceives itself, contradicts itself and deceives its own voters. This is no accident but its daily character. It adjusts its line to the mood of the moment, twists sentences, sharpens, downplays, repeats – depending on what works best. Many believe it because outrage is easy to access and simple answers remain tempting. But anyone who looks closer can see how fragile it all is. The decisive question is when voters will realize that they are not being represented but used. A party that changes its messages by the hour leads no one anywhere. It exploits disappointment without having solutions. It fuels conflicts without taking responsibility. And it sells all of this as “courage” and is cowardly in the process.

At some point the moment will come when even the most loyal supporters sense that they were never offered a path – only an abyss hidden behind slogans. And when that moment comes, the AfD will not be able to explain why it pretends to be horrified while voicing the same demands it claims to reject. Because that is its true face: outrage on the outside, agreement on the inside. And a constant deception that only works as long as no one speaks up loudly.