Overview

• Hans-Georg Maaßen resigned as party chair and announced he is leaving the WerteUnion, publishing his decision in a letter to members on October 8.
• He said seven federal board members and the party press spokesman also resigned, creating an immediate leadership vacuum.
• Maaßen pointed to a Weimar vote that installed a Förderverein board made up mostly of non-party members, which he called a decisive break from the party.
• The departure follows months of infighting, including clashes with vice chair and ex‑AfD leader Jörg Meuthen and accusations of autocratic leadership and AfD proximity.
• He blamed weak organization, scarce resources, and dismal results in recent elections, and said he will seek a new organizational form while leaving open support for another party.