Kremlin's blueprint for Germany: AfD manifesto raises alarm

According to the weekly magazine Der Spiegel, the programme manifesto of the German far-right party AfD was believed to have been concocted within the Kremlin.

"Der Spiegel" has reported that in 2022, the Russian government allegedly held discussions about the future prospects of the AfD party in Germany. These discussions reportedly resulted in creating a manifesto outlining positions on German domestic politics.

The manifesto depicts a grim view of Germany, particularly focusing on the economic and social landscape while highlighting the deepening divides within the country. The objective appeared to be to bolster AfD's polling numbers and to secure a majority in elections across all levels, "Der Spiegel" stated.

According to unnamed intelligence officials, an order was placed in September 2022 by one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies. Conversations also touched upon possibly renaming the party to "United Germany" or "Unity of Germany".

This revelation by "Spiegel" aligns with ongoing suspicions that the far-right Alternative for Germany has been receiving financial and strategic support from the Kremlin.

It remains uncertain what became of the manifesto or whether it was ever presented to the party. Nevertheless, journalists have highlighted that Björn Höcke, the AfD leader in Thuringia, delivered a speech in Gera in October 2022, which closely mirrored the manifesto's content.

This speech included a claim that the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline should be viewed as an act of war against Germany, leading to investor withdrawal and plunging the country into the "specter of hunger".

Up until the point of publication, AfD has not issued any statements regarding these allegations. These revelations have emerged amidst efforts targeting the Russian agent network.

"Der Spiegel" also delved into the case of AfD Bundestag member Petra Bystron. He is reported to have confessed to the party's leadership about receiving "small packages from the pro-Russian media manager Artem Martschewskyj". This situation is connected to the "Voice of Europe" portal, known for disseminating Russian propaganda.

While Bystron has denied any monetary transactions, unofficial sources from Czech counterintelligence have suggested that the AfD representative accepted a cash sum of £17,000 from a Kremlin representative.