The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Monday reported having received a campaign donation of some €2.35 million ($2.4 million), the third major financial boost within days ahead of national elections less than three weeks away.
In Germany, any party donation exceeding €35,000 must immediately be reported to the president of the Bundestag, as the lower house of parliament is known.
According to the Bundestag register, the latest donation to the AfD was made by Austrian Gerhard Dingler on Saturday.
According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, Dingler is a former regional manager of Austria’s right-wing populist Austrian Freedom Party. Dingler reportedly confirmed the donation in a statement.
Dingler justified the move by saying that he was concerned about a further escalation in the war in Ukraine, according to ORF.
The future German government might decide to supply long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, which he would like to prevent, Dingler said, adding that in his view the AfD is the only German party that credibly advocates peace.
German public broadcasters WDR and NDR had reported earlier that Dingler was set to make a large donation in the form of 6,395 campaign posters to support the AfD.
The posters are to be hung across Germany to supplement the party’s official campaign efforts.
Dingler’s contribution is the third large donation reported by the AfD since January 21.
According to the official register, the anti-immigration, eurosceptic party, which is currently polling in second place behind the opposition conservative CDU/CSU bloc, received €999,900 and €1.5 million in the space of less than two weeks.
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