German prosecutors launched an investigation into a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on suspicion of bribery and money laundering, as well as searching several properties on Thursday.
Petr Bystron, the second candidate on the party’s ticket for the June 9 European elections, had his immunity lifted by the Bundestag or lower house of the German parliament.
Bystron described the investigation to news website Zeit Online as politically motivated.
Far-right lawmaker sees some electoral consequences
“The proceedings will be archived when the election is over,” he was quoted as saying. “This will cost us some votes in the election.”
However, he was sure that other voters would remain with the AfD: “Those who know the history of our party, which has been damaged by retaliatory campaigns, will not be discouraged by this.”
The Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office said searches were taking place at Bystron’s office in Berlin, at several locations in Bavaria and on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
According to prosecutors, 11 public prosecutors and around 70 Bavarian police officers were deployed.
Properties of witnesses who are not accused in the case were also searched, a spokesman for prosecutors said. The main objective was to seize documents and data carriers to search them for evidence.
Bystron has been the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag of the AfD since 2017. Since 2021, he has been his party’s foreign policy spokesman and its representative in the Council of Europe and the Inter-Parliamentary Union of global legislatures.
The Munich prosecutor highlighted that the presumption of innocence applies until a possible conviction.
Parliament withdraws another AfD member of the Bundestag immunity
Bystron’s AfD parliamentary colleague Hannes Gnauck was also stripped of his immunity in the Bundestag on Thursday.
According to broadcaster ARD, the case revolves around a disciplinary complaint from his time in the German army.
Gnauck represents the AfD on the parliamentary Defense Committee and politicians from other parties have sharply criticized his role, following suggestions that the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) classified the former soldier as an “extremist”.
Bystron and another prominent AfD politician, Maximilian Krah, have come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks for alleged links to pro-Russian networks. Following media reports about possible payments to both politicians, prosecutors recently looked into the allegations.
Krah, a member of the European Parliament, is the AfD’s main candidate for the European elections.
German shares follow Czech investigation
In March, the Czech Republic placed the pro-Russian Internet platform Voice of Europe (VoE) on a national sanctions list, following an intelligence investigation, which also included interviews with Bystron and Krah.
The site would be part of a Russian influence operation aimed at calling into question the territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine. A Czech newspaper reported that Bystron may also have accepted money.
According to information from the DPA, the German investigations now opened concern allegations related to VoE.
State prosecutors are also investigating AfD‘sKrah
Criminal prosecutors in Dresden also opened a preliminary investigation against Krah, who is from the East German city, and another person over possible payments from China.
Additionally, Krah’s former employee Jian G was arrested on suspicion of spying for China. In connection with the investigation against G, German prosecutors searched the offices of Krah and his former employee at the European Parliament in Brussels last week.
AfD the leadership continues to support its two candidates.
After a brief break, Krah is once again making campaign appearances, and in Bystron’s case, party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla stated in writing: “The lifting of immunity and the search of Petr’s office and private premises Bystron are serious business.”
So far, no evidence has been presented for the allegations leveled against Bystron weeks ago, they said.
The AfD parliamentary group hopes for a quick conclusion of the investigation “so that there is no suspicion that an attempt is being made to influence the European election campaign through authorities and public prosecutors bound by instructions”.
The AfD had registered around 20% nationally, in a context of dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, but support fell to between 16% and 18% after a series of scandals – including allegations that it plans to repatriate migrants.
