AfD's New Lawmakers Face Scrutiny Over Stasi, Porn, and Neo-Nazi Ties

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's historic election win in Saxony-Anhalt is now overshadowed by scrutiny of its 39 newly elected lawmakers, whose backgrounds include a former Stasi officer, a convicted porn actor, and alleged neo-Nazi ties. German media reports reveal several members have criminal records, disputed academic credentials, and connections to banned far-right groups. Two lawmakers face investigations over links to the outlawed Artgemeinschaft organization, while another was convicted of theft and confirmed to have worked in pornography. AfD leader Ulrich Sigmund dismissed the controversies, calling the accused members "the bad boys," while his comments linking arms production to mass deportation policies drew sharp criticism. The party, holding 44% of the vote, is three seats short of a majority and seeking coalition partners, though mainstream parties have ruled out cooperation.