Overview

• Markus Söder has formally opposed granting the AfD committee chair positions in the new Bundestag, calling for continued exclusion of the party from key parliamentary roles.
• The AfD has doubled its Bundestag representation to 152 seats, becoming the second-largest faction, but remains under Verfassungsschutz surveillance for suspected right-wing extremism.
• Söder highlights concerns over alleged irregularities in AfD party donations, reinforcing his stance against normalizing the party's parliamentary participation.
• Since entering the Bundestag in 2017, the AfD has been systematically blocked from leadership roles, including vice-presidential and committee chair appointments.
• The Union parties face ongoing debates about balancing democratic norms with security and strategic considerations in their approach to the AfD.