Faction of the AfD settles overdue debt with the Landtag - Party group AfD pays bill to the state parliament
The AfD state parliament faction in Rhineland-Palatinate has repaid over €182,000 to the State Parliament, following an audit report suggesting improper use of funds for the financial years 2016 to 2018. The repayment was made before the July 9 deadline set by the State Parliament.
The State Audit Office's report, published in mid-June, accused the AfD state parliament faction of mixing up faction and party work, leading to the alleged misuse of funds. The audit report highlighted that the opposition faction had improperly used over €243,000 after moving into the parliament in 2016.
AfD faction leader Jan Bollinger confirmed that the entire amount was paid back, pending legal review. Initial repayment claims settled were around €61,000, leaving a sum of over €182,000 still outstanding. Bollinger also mentioned that the AfD will take legal action against some points in the audit report.
A spokesperson for the State Parliament confirmed receipt of the outstanding payment, but further information regarding the repayment will be provided in due course. It is important to note that the AfD in Rhineland-Palatinate has taken legal action, such as filing a complaint with the State Constitutional Court against a former SPD minister-president, but this does not pertain to the AfD’s own misuse of parliamentary funds or a repayment scenario.
Factions in the State Parliament are legally entitled to adequate equipment to carry out their tasks, which includes money and goods, determined by the size of the factions. The income and expenditure of the factions must be recorded in the accounts, which are published as parliamentary papers by the President of the State Parliament.
This repayment comes as part of a broader effort by the AfD to address financial transparency and accountability within the party's state parliament factions. As the situation develops, further updates will be provided.
The Audit report, published in mid-June, indicated that the AfD state parliament faction in Rhineland-Palatinate inappropriately used funds for their faction work and general budget from 2016 to 2018, totaling over €243,000. Despite this, the AfD faction leader, Jan Bollinger, confirmed that they have repaid the entire €182,000 still outstanding, subject to a legal review, and will proceed with legal action against certain points in the report. In the realm of politics and general-news, this repayment is part of the AfD's broader endeavor to enhance financial transparency and accountability within their state parliament factions.
