Germany's Eurosceptic party AfD hit by power struggle

Berlin

A POWER struggle over the direction of the upstart Eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany (AfD) burst into the open on Saturday when a group of deputy leaders attacked its founder Bernd Lucke and his plans to take sole control of the party. Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, concerned about the rise of a party that attracts far-right voters and siphons off some of its support, hope the movement will self-destruct.

In a letter seen by Reuters, five senior party figures told Mr Lucke they were alarmed by his plans, denounced his "despot-like style of leadership" and summoned him to a meeting. It was the latest sign of strife in a party that has shaken up German politics, winning seats in the European Parliament and three German state assemblies, and has been hovering around 7 per cent in most national opinion polls.