AfD’s far-right factions clash in pivotal youth wing election this weekend
A bitter power struggle is unfolding within Germany’s AfD party in North Rhine-Westphalia. This Saturday, January 17, 2026, over 300 young members will gather in Iserlohn to elect the leadership of the newly formed youth wing, Generation Deutschland (GD). The vote pits far-right factions against the state party leadership, with wider implications for the AfD’s future direction.
At the centre of the conflict is Matthias Helferich, a Bundestag member expelled from the AfD in summer 2025 over ethnonationalist views. Despite his expulsion, he remains a party member and is now challenging the decision while leading his faction’s bid for control.
The newly established GD replaces Junge Alternative, which dissolved after Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, classified it as far-right. Unlike its predecessor, GD operates as a direct AfD affiliate, with membership restricted to party members only. Its creation aims to impose stricter discipline on the youth wing.
Helferich’s faction is pushing for dominance in Saturday’s election. Their candidate for GD chair in NRW is 24-year-old Luca Hofrath, an ally with ties to the far-right Identitarian Movement. The faction’s provisional Instagram account already reflects their influence. Opposing them are supporters of the state party leadership under Martin Vincentz. His preferred candidate, 33-year-old Manuel Krauthausen, has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and repeatedly called for mass 'remigration'. The clash highlights deep divisions within the AfD, with Helferich’s group branding itself as the 'patriotic' alternative. If Helferich’s faction secures control of GD in NRW, it could reshape the state party’s leadership. Vincentz faces re-election as state chair in March 2026, and a victory for Helferich’s allies may weaken his position. The outcome of Saturday’s vote will signal whether the far-right faction is gaining ground within the AfD.
The election in Iserlohn will determine who leads GD in North Rhine-Westphalia. A win for Helferich’s faction could shift the balance of power within the state party, influencing its direction ahead of Vincentz’s re-election bid. The result may also indicate whether the AfD’s far-right wing is consolidating its influence.
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