AfD in Heilbronn: Frohnmaier as Prime Minister - A new course?

AfD in Heilbronn: Frohnmaier as Prime Minister - A new course?

On June 2, 2025, the first delegate party conference of the AfD in Baden-Württemberg took place in the “Harmonie” congress center in Heilbronn. The aim was to draw up the state list for the upcoming state elections on March 8, 2026. Almost 400 delegates were gathered to decide on the candidacies and set the course for the coming months.

Markus Frohnmaier, a well-known representative of the party, was elected as prime ministerial candidate in an open vote without a speech. This choice was met with much applause, although there was only one dissenting vote. In his speech, Frohnmaier emphasized the need for a tougher migration policy and postulated: “Deportation saves people’s lives.” He backed this up with a proposal to build an additional runway at Stuttgart Airport in order to increase the number of deportations.

Unity and ambitions for Baden-Württemberg

The party congress was generally unanimous, which is reflected in the fact that there were no candidates for the promising places. The unity is attributed, among other things, to the professionalism of Markus Frohnmaier and his co-chair Emil Sanzen. The AfD federal chairwoman Alice Weidel said that the party wanted to achieve the best result in a western German state. In the last election in 2021, the AfD only received 9.7 percent of the vote in Baden-Württemberg, while current polls now give the party 19 percent, putting it on a par with the Greens. The CDU leads with 31 percent.

Another notable topic was the realistic chances of becoming prime minister given the current lack of coalition partners. This situation could jeopardize the AfD's ambitions, as there is currently no party willing to enter into a coalition with the AfD. Frohnmaier himself is not running for the state parliament, but is solely aiming for the office of prime minister.

The political context

Markus Frohnmaier is described as a former agitator and supporter of Björn Höcke. His personal background, especially his marriage to a Russian woman, also causes discussion. Critics accuse him of being uncritical of Vladimir Putin, although he is trying to correct this image. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as right-wing extremist, which could make the upcoming election campaign even more complicated.

Frohnmaier is convinced that the success of the AfD will be achieved more quickly than a possible ban on the party. The latest developments in Baden-Württemberg's political spectrum could help the AfD to position itself decisively, especially if the current poll numbers can be maintained.

The next few months will be crucial to see whether the new dynamic in the southwest of the AfD corresponds to the leadership role it is aiming for in Baden-Baden.

For further information about the AfD party conference in Heilbronn and the upcoming elections, read goodnews4.de as well sueddeutsche.de.