(MENAFN) Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has expelled a member after he delivered a speech at a youth event that appeared to mimic Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

The expelled member, Alexander Eichwald, was seeking a leadership role in the party’s ‘Generation Germany’ youth movement. During his application speech, he spoke and gestured in a manner reminiscent of Hitler while urging fellow members to “protect German culture from foreign influence.”

The performance drew boos and confusion from the audience and sparked criticism on social media. The AfD moved quickly to cut ties with Eichwald, with party co-leader Tino Chrupalla confirming on Monday that the man had “received the expulsion notice.”

“We don’t want people like [him] in our party,” Chrupalla said, describing the speech as “bad satire” and noting that Eichwald had only recently joined the party.

The incident has triggered internal debate and speculation online, with some suggesting that Eichwald’s stunt could have been linked to Germany’s domestic intelligence service.

The youth event in Giessen was also disrupted by leftist protests against the AfD, which caused traffic issues and clashes with police.

The AfD, increasingly popular in Germany, has been under heightened scrutiny from authorities.

Earlier this year, it was classified as an ‘extremist’ organization, allowing law enforcement to closely monitor its activities. Known for its anti-immigration stance, the party is isolated from other German political groups as part of a ‘firewall against the far-right’ policy, which has drawn criticism from some US figures.

Despite controversies, the party maintains strong support, topping opinion polls with 26–27% backing, according to recent surveys.

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