The AfD parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt has expelled state treasurer Matthias Lieschke over allegations he secretly recorded a party meeting and forwarded it to former general secretary Jan Wenzel Schmidt. This follows earlier expulsion proceedings against Schmidt amid escalating internal party conflicts ahead of the 2026 state election.
In a session on Monday, the AfD parliamentary group in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament expelled Matthias Lieschke, the deputy from Wittenberg district who ranks 20th on the AfD state list for the September 6 state election. The expulsion, which took immediate effect, was due to accusations of serious party- and group-damaging behavior, including secretly recording a district leaders' video conference in early December 2025 and forwarding the audio to Jan Wenzel Schmidt—who himself faces ongoing expulsion proceedings over corruption allegations.
Lieschke was unable to refute the claims during a faction hearing. "The faction felt compelled to exclude Mr. Lieschke to protect the faction and enable further trusting parliamentary and political work," the group stated. The vote passed 20-1.
The AfD leads polls and aims for a solo government under top candidate Ulrich Siegmund. Lieschke was not reachable for comment. These events highlight deepening rifts within the state branch, classified as confirmed right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence.
