German prosecutors have formally charged a far-right member of parliament after he allegedly performed a Nazi salute within the historic Reichstag building.
Charges Filed After Immunity Lifted
Berlin prosecutors filed charges against Matthias Moosdorf, a 60-year-old member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The move came after the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, voted in October 2024 to lift his parliamentary immunity, clearing the way for legal action.
The alleged incident took place in June 2023 near an entrance to the Reichstag building during a parliamentary session. Prosecutors state that Moosdorf performed a heel click followed by a Nazi salute, ensuring the gesture "would be perceptible to others". In Germany, the use of Nazi-era symbols and slogans has been illegal since the Second World War and is punishable by a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years.
MP's Denial and Party Context
In a statement, Moosdorf, a former cellist who has represented Zwickau in Saxony since 2016, firmly rejected the accusation. He claimed he was merely checking his wife's coat at the cloakroom at the time. "It is shameful that someone is trying to fabricate a political spectacle at this level," he said, arguing critics should engage with his party's political positions instead.
Moosdorf's political standing has recently shifted. Until May 2024, he served as a foreign policy spokesperson for the AfD's parliamentary group but was removed from the role due to his perceived friendliness towards Russia.
Rising Extremism Within the AfD
The charges against Moosdorf emerge against a backdrop of growing scrutiny of the AfD. Earlier this year, Germany's domestic intelligence agency classified the party as a right-wing extremist organisation. A subsequent annual report from the agency revealed a 77 per cent surge in identified extremists within the AfD in 2024, bringing the total to around 20,000 people.
Despite this, the AfD continues to gain traction in polls, currently leading surveys nationally ahead of several key state elections scheduled for next year. The party has also been actively forging stronger ties with MAGA-aligned Republicans in the United States.
The case against Matthias Moosdorf underscores the ongoing tensions in German politics between historical memory, free speech, and the legal boundaries designed to combat extremist ideologies.
