Overview
- Party officials confirmed the federal congress will be held at Messe Erfurt on 4–5 July 2026 with a scheduled election of new national leadership.
- Thuringia’s interior minister Georg Maier said choosing Erfurt, Höcke’s political base, is no coincidence and voiced suspicion of a planned power grab, an assessment echoed by ex–state premier Bodo Ramelow.
- Messe Erfurt, a state-owned venue, cited a legal duty to contract with political parties that meet requirements, as police and security authorities begin planning.
- Authorities expect significant demonstrations around the event, consistent with past AfD congresses; the party last held a federal convention in Erfurt in 2014 as observers note its rightward shift since.
- In a separate development, the Berlin AfD named Kristin Brinker as its 2026 lead candidate with roughly 92–93% support in Jüterbog, where police counted about 400 counter-protesters.