A controversial donation to Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has triggered an investigation by Austrian authorities.
The €2.35 million contribution, made in early February, played a significant role in AfD’s campaign ahead of Germany’s upcoming parliamentary elections. The probe aims to determine whether the donation violated financial regulations.
Suspicious Origins of the Donation
As reported by HotNews.ro, the donation came from Gerhard Dingler, a former official of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) and longtime director of its branch in Vorarlberg, near the Swiss and German borders.
However, investigative reports from Der Standard and Spiegel suggest that Dingler may have acted as an intermediary.
Just before making the donation, he reportedly received a payment of €2.6 million, raising concerns that the money originated from an undisclosed third party.
Austria’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has launched an investigation into the matter. If authorities confirm that the funds were funneled through Dingler from another source, AfD could face serious legal consequences.
AfD Faces Potential Financial Penalties
Despite the scrutiny, AfD officials maintain that they had no reason to question the donation’s legitimacy.
Party treasurer Carsten Hutter stated that AfD is willing to cooperate with authorities and emphasized that Dingler had assured them the money came from his private assets.
Under German law, political parties are subject to strict donation regulations. If the funds are found to have originated from an illegal source, AfD could face a fine of up to €7 million.
This would not be the first time the party has been penalized—Germany’s parliament previously fined AfD more than €400,000 in 2019 for violating donation rules.
As investigations continue, both Austrian and German authorities are under pressure to clarify the origins of the funds. The case has intensified debates over financial transparency in European political campaigns, especially as AfD remains a contentious force in German politics.
