AfD Internal Conflict Erupts Over Right-Wing Extremist Sellner’s “Remigration” Concept
A growing rift within the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been laid bare following the controversial invitation of Martin Sellner, a leading figure in the far-right Identitarian movement, by two party members. The event was ultimately canceled under pressure from the party leadership, but the underlying tensions surrounding the “remigration” concept – Sellner’s signature idea – remain.
As of January 16, 2026 7:12 p.m, the AfD is grappling with a deepening ideological divide, highlighted by the fallout from the planned meeting with Sellner. The incident underscores the delicate balancing act the party attempts between appealing to its extremist base and maintaining a veneer of mainstream respectability.
The controversy began when Steffen Kotré, an AfD member of the Bundestag, and his wife, Lena Kotré, extended an invitation to Sellner. This move sparked immediate backlash from within the party, particularly from AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who swiftly intervened to cancel the event. According to sources within the party, the leadership was “surprised” and “not happy at all” with the invitation.
The situation is further complicated by a reportedly frosty relationship between Weidel and Kotré. While Weidel publicly praised Kotré’s recent display of participation in an “ice bath club” – posting “Great! I’ll come back next time” on social media – sources indicate a deeper discord. Kotré’s previous unauthorized trip to Russia, against Weidel’s explicit wishes, has reportedly fueled the tension.
Despite the cancellation, the conflict has exposed a significant ideological fault line within the AfD. Lena Kotré has announced she will attend an alternative event hosted by Sellner, focused on “remigration in the area of tension between the party and the movement.” This defiant move signals continued support for Sellner’s ideas among a faction within the party.
Sellner, the head of the Identitarian movement, has successfully popularized the term “remigration,” which envisions the large-scale deportation of foreign nationals and even citizens deemed insufficiently integrated into German society. Weidel herself publicly embraced the term during a party conference in January 2025, emphatically declaring, “If it means remigration, then it means RE-MI-GRA-TION.”
Sellner’s “Remigration: A Proposal” outlines a three-stage plan: the deportation of asylum seekers and refugees, the deportation of foreigners, and finally, the application of pressure on “non-assimilated citizens” – including those with German passports – to leave the country. The practical implications and legality of such a plan remain highly contested.
Historically, the AfD leadership has not always maintained a strict distance from Sellner. Regular meetings have occurred between top party politicians and figures from the far-right extremist scene, including Sellner and Götz Kubitschek, a right-wing extremist publisher who also distributes Sellner’s book. These gatherings have provided a platform for collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
However, a legal opinion issued last summer prompted a shift in the AfD’s stance. The opinion reportedly advised the party to distance itself from Sellner, while stopping short of abandoning the “remigration” concept altogether. The party was explicitly warned against inviting Sellner to official events – a line that Kotré and his wife demonstrably crossed.
The legal concerns stem from a June 2025 ruling by the Federal Administrative Court regarding the right-wing extremist Compact magazine. While the magazine was not banned, the court’s justification explicitly linked it to Sellner’s “remigration concept,” deeming it incompatible with the values enshrined in the German Basic Law. This ruling has raised fears within the AfD that close association with Sellner could provide grounds for a potential ban on the party itself.
Maximilian Krah, a former top candidate for the European elections, described Sellner’s invitation to Brandenburg as a “crazy idea,” signaling a growing awareness of the legal risks.
Despite these concerns, support for Sellner persists within certain factions of the AfD. Members of the Thuringian AfD, for example, have expressed regret over the cancellation of the event, arguing that engaging with “interesting people” is essential. Torben Braga, a Thuringian Bundestag member, labeled the cancellation “regrettable and wrong.”
The AfD’s internal “incompatibility list,” which bars individuals with past ties to the Identitarian Movement from joining the party, is also being debated. Some argue that this rule does not apply to Sellner, as he has not sought to become a member of the AfD. As one AfD deputy, Stefan Brandner, put it, “saying hello and drinking beer is allowed.”
The party’s youth organization, Generation Germany, led by Jean-Pascal Hohm, has also refrained from distancing itself from the Identitarian movement, arguing that it raises important debates.
In a statement to rbb, Lena Kotré defended Sellner as an “internationally recognized expert on the subject of remigration,” characterizing the planned conversation as a “purely technical” discussion. She dismissed the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s classification of Sellner as politically motivated.
The AfD’s internal struggle over Sellner and “remigration” highlights the complex and often contradictory forces shaping the party’s identity and future direction. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges facing Germany in confronting the rise of far-right extremism and its influence on the political landscape.
