With the departure of AfD MP Dirk Spaniel, not only the parliamentary group is shrinking by one seat in the Bundestag. The party also has to accept further losses.
As a result of the departure of MP Dirk Spaniel, the AfD parliamentary group in the Bundestag will lose speaking time and a committee seat, according to a media report. “The AfD parliamentary group loses a seat in the health committee – to the Union parliamentary group,” said a Bundestag spokesman when asked by the “Rheinische Post”.
In addition, the AfD’s speaking time in the Bundestag will also be shorter: “In 90-minute plenary debates, the AfD parliamentary group loses one minute of speaking time – nine instead of the previous ten minutes. This minute also goes to the Union parliamentary group.” The AfD parliamentary group will therefore be reduced to 76 members – originally there were 82.
Spaniel, a member of the Bundestag, said he left the AfD and the Bundestag faction on Tuesday. “Many people already suspected it, today I left the AfD and also the AfD parliamentary group,” he wrote on Tuesday evening on X. You can read more about it here.
Spaniel, former head of the AfD Baden-Württemberg and critic of co-party leader Alice Weidel, was not re-elected to the state list for the upcoming federal election at a state party conference a week and a half ago. He then announced his resignation from the party. Spaniel had been at odds with the Weidel camp for years.