What did the Chinese authorities learn about the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party? That question lies at the heart of the trial that opened on Tuesday, August 5, before the Higher Regional Court of Dresden (Saxony). The defendant is a former aide to ex-MEP Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s lead candidate in the 2024 European elections and now a member of the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament. The exposure of information transmitted to Beijing by this former parliamentary assistant – who holds both German and Chinese citizenship – could plunge the AfD, which came second in the German legislative elections of February 23 with nearly 21% of the vote, into further turmoil.
Infighting within the party, the private lives of its leaders, bribes: From 2019 to 2024, Jian G. allegedly passed on everything he knew, read and heard about the AfD to Chinese intelligence services, even going so far as to hand over European Parliament documents considered “sensitive.” Since his arrest in April 2024, German investigators have interviewed several AfD officials. All accused Jiang G. of spreading false information – “a compilation of rumors (…) having nothing to do with reality,” Krah said.
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