AfD’s new state MPs include ex-Stasi officer, former porn actor, neopagans and neo-Nazis

Key Points:

• The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) faces scrutiny over some prospective MPs in Saxony-Anhalt, including a former Stasi officer, a former pornography actor, and individuals with criminal records or neo-Nazi ties.
• Two MPs are under investigation for allegedly continuing activities of the banned right-wing extremist group Artgemeinschaft, with one also accused of weapons law violations; both deny the allegations.
• The former pornography actor MP was convicted of theft and accused of falsifying academic qualifications, while the ex-Stasi officer admitted his past role in East Germany’s secret police, drawing criticism from victim advocacy groups.
• AfD members-elect also have links to right-wing extremist groups, pro-Kremlin affiliations, and connections to the Maga movement in Washington, raising concerns about the party's ideological stance.
• AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund faced backlash for remarks linking arms production in Germany to the party’s deportation plans, which opponents condemned as a political threat; mainstream parties refuse to form a coalition with AfD despite its strong electoral showing.