"When the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) deplores the state of the country, it often also portrays itself as a victim: a victim of the intelligence agencies for investigating it for suspected right-wing extremism; a victim of the other parties for stigmatizing it; and a victim of the courts for convicting AfD politicians of criminal offenses. However, a look at the party's financing paints a very different picture. That is because the AfD benefits significantly from state party financing."
"In Germany, publicly funding political parties is a key pillar of its parliamentary democracy. For every vote a party receives in an election, it receives just under one euro from the state. And for every euro that citizens donate to the party or to elected representatives of their own party, the state adds 45 cents. As a result, Alternative for Germany received a total of 12.78 million in state party funding in 2025."
"The state wants to help its elected representatives fulfill their democratic duties. In addition to financial compensation for their work, each member of the Bundestag receives a monthly expense allowance, as well as money for staff and office equipment. According to the Bundestag, this amounts to a total of just under 540,000 per member per year. AfD members of the Bundestag: 82 million per year"
The AfD benefits substantially from Germany's system of public party financing and parliamentary support, receiving around €500 million for 2025–early 2029. Public funding provides just under one euro per electoral vote and adds €0.45 for every euro donated to a party or its representatives. Alternative for Germany received €12.78 million in state party funding in 2025, compared with the CDU's €54 million. Parliamentary allowances supply large additional resources: each Bundestag member receives roughly €540,000 annually for compensation, staff, offices and expenses, and 152 AfD MPs account for about €82 million per year in such support.
Read at www.dw.com
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