AfD candidate gets at least six cross-party votes in Bundestag committee election

AfD candidate Malte Kaufmann received at least six votes from other parliamentary groups in a secret ballot for a deputy chairmanship of the Bundestag's Economic Committee, drawing sharp criticism from the Greens and the Left Party.

Kaufmann secured 16 votes in total, while the AfD holds only 10 seats in the committee, meaning at least six votes came from members of other parliamentary groups. The vote was secret. Compared to the previous election in September 2025, the AfD candidate gained four votes.

Michael Kellner, the Greens' spokesperson in the committee, told Der Spiegel: "Vermutlich hat fast die Hälfte der CDU im Wirtschaftsausschuss für die AfD gestimmt." He added: "Jens Spahn hat anscheinend seine Fraktion nicht im Griff." Kellner noted that CDU economic politicians such as Brandenburg lawmaker Saskia Ludwig have openly shown sympathy for the AfD.

Janine Wissler, the Left Party's economic policy spokesperson and deputy parliamentary group leader, said: "Das heutige Wahlverhalten der Union ist alarmierend und beschämend." She added: "Ganz offensichtlich wünschen sich einige Unionsabgeordnete einen stellvertretenden AfD-Ausschussvorsitzenden." Wissler warned that the "firewall" against the AfD is crumbling further, saying: "Die Normalisierung der AfD muss jeden Tag aufs Neue verhindert werden."

Kaufmann did not win the deputy chair position, as in previous votes. No AfD member currently holds a committee chair or deputy chair position in the Bundestag, despite the party being entitled to several chairs under the usual distribution formula. The other parliamentary groups have consistently rejected AfD candidates for such posts.