AfD Party Congress Signals Test of Germany's Far-Right Coalition Firewall

Germany's far-right AfD re-elected leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla at a federal congress in Erfurt on July 4 as 20,000 protesters gathered outside. The timing matters less than what follows: upcoming regional elections where the AfD could enter state governments for the first time. Germany's other parties have maintained a consensus "firewall" excluding the AfD from coalitions. Whether that holds as the party gains electoral strength in eastern states remains the central question in German politics through 2026.