The Federal Executive Committee of AfD has removed divided board of state Association of Lower Saxony with immediate effect from its office. The decision was taken by a two-thirds majority, a AfD spokesman in Berlin said. The reason: The provincial board "seriously violated principles or Order of party".

According to party statutes, Federal Executive Board may enforce removal of an office of a provincial committee. The head of federal government would invite "promptly" to a National party congress in order to elect a new board of directors to be able to decide and act in Lower Saxon state, Federal Executive Board furr informed.

The focus of Zwists is former head of state Armin Paul Hampel, who is controversial in his own party because of his office. In November 2017, several AfD district associations had a party day, where Hampel's opponents wanted to make a selection. The former television journalist had cancelled party congress planned for past weekend but in short term.

Previously, Lower Saxon Bundestag group leader, Dana Guth, had announced that she wanted to become regional president. The previous party vice Jörn König was also said to have ambitions for presidency. Party-Internal opponents accuse Hampel, who is also a member of Bundestag, of a dictatorial style of leadership and infringing personal attacks.

The AfD federal chairman Jörg Meun had spoken of an unsustainable state in National Association. In Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he spoke of a "really bad discord", which is political work of AfD facing greater difficulties. In his opinion, a new beginning in Lower Saxony did not exist with previous protagonists, and thus already hinted at intervention of Federal Executive Board. Hampel himself had demanded a "clarifying thunderstorm" in front of FAZ. At end of last week, Hampel said he could count on a thin majority in well-2,500 member-strong National Association.

Date Of Update: 20 January 2018, 12:02