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Gauland Says AfD Years Cost Him Friends, Family as He Rejects Calls to Destroy CDU

In a new interview tied to his autobiography, the 84-year-old AfD co-founder says the private toll of his role outweighed any gain.

Overview

  • He recounts losing virtually all his friends and part of his family and says a longtime hotel told him he was no longer welcome.
  • He concludes that, on a personal level, the damage from his AfD engagement exceeded the benefits.
  • He revisits his 2018 “Vogelschiss” remark about the Holocaust, calling the metaphor wrong and stressing he never intended to minimize Nazi crimes.
  • He distances himself from party voices urging the CDU’s destruction, saying the AfD seeks different policies rather than a different state.
  • He remains a Bundestag member for Saxony after winning a direct mandate in this year’s parliamentary election.