The AfD’s internal court has ruled that Matthias Helferich can remain in the party despite serious allegations.

The internal arbitration court of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has decided that Bundestag member Matthias Helferich will not be expelled from the party. According to information obtained by WELT, the court ruled on June 26 to suspend Helferich from holding party offices for six months instead of removing him entirely. The decision follows allegations that Helferich made inflammatory remarks, including referring to migrants as ‘creatures’ and advocating forced deportations.

The NRW AfD leadership had initially sought Helferich’s expulsion in May 2024, citing his controversial social media posts and public statements. These included a photo with the caption ‘Raus mit die Viecher’ (‘Out with the creatures’) and references to Nazi-era rhetoric. Despite these accusations, the federal arbitration court stated that it could not conclusively determine that Helferich’s actions violated human dignity or the party’s constitution. Helferich defended his posts as satirical, while critics warned of their harmful implications.