Far-Right German Party Seeks Support in Washington; Claims Political Persecution at Home

An AfD delegation led by Markus Frohnmaier visited the U.S. to build ties with Republican figures and promote claims of political suppression in Germany, while MEP Petr Bystron amplified a partisan article alleging U.S. interest in probing NGOs (including OCCRP) without evidence; concurrently, Bystron faced heightened legal scrutiny as the European Parliament lifted his immunity over alleged links to a Russian disinformation network and a separate case involving extremist imagery, reflecting both AfD’s rising influence and ongoing concerns over disinformation and democratic norms.