He was co-head of the AfD for six and a half years, longer than anyone before him. Today he's not only resigning from office - he is leaving the AfD completely. Jörg Meuthen confirmed this in an interview with German state broadcasters, admitting he had lost the power struggle against right-wing extremists in his party.
Meuthen says factions of the party don't believe in the basic tenets of a free democracy - and that's one reason he thinks the AfD has no future, other than as a regional Eastern German party. Some accuse Meuthen of not having opposed the right-wing extremists firmly enough.
Meuthen wants to keep his mandate in the EU Parliament. But first he has to deal with the trouble caused by his alleged acceptance of illegal party donations. The EU Parliament is set to lift his immunity, clearing the way for an investigation by public prosecutors.
