Similar to Diakonie President Rüdiger Schuch, Verdi boss Frank Werneke does not want to tolerate convinced AfD representatives in his own ranks. “Anyone who is committed to AfD positions and represents the program has no place with us,” Werneke told the Editorial Network Germany (RND).

"We stand for a cosmopolitan and tolerant society. The AfD does the opposite." For this reason, for example, an exclusion procedure was initiated against a member who was an AfD city councilor in Hanover and at the same time a staff member at the municipal waste disposal company.

Verdi boss warns of the consequences of the AfD's success in elections

“The right is becoming bolder, they are trying to win majorities in company and staff council elections. This must be prevented,” said Werneke. He pointed out that the legal hurdles for expulsion from a union are high, comparable to party expulsion procedures. But: "We want to prevent the AfD from establishing itself in companies. All trade unions have to get more involved in the debate."

The Verdi boss warned of the consequences if the AfD were successful in the local and district elections in East Germany: "Several districts could go to the AfD. That is worrying because the AfD is then an employer. And once they have the mayor or... the district administrator, then the party places its specialists in the management of the municipal companies."

Yesterday, Diakonie President Schuch made it clear that convinced AfD voters had no place in the Protestant welfare association. Unlike trade unions, many church-supported institutions are so-called tendency companies and have comparatively great freedom to decide who they employ.