AfD must vacate its Berlin party headquarters in 2026 – dispute escalates!

AfD must vacate its Berlin party headquarters in 2026 – dispute escalates!

The Berlin district court has decided that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) must vacate its federal headquarters in autumn 2026. This decision followed a lawsuit by the landlord of the property that the AfD has been renting in the Wittenau district since 2022. The court rejected an immediate termination of the rental agreement because the landlord, an Austrian ownership company, had not previously warned the AfD before demanding the eviction. The dispute between the AfD and the landlord revolves around alleged violations during an election party on February 23, 2025, in which the AfD won 20.8 percent of the vote and became the largest opposition party in the Bundestag.

According to rbb24, the landlord found a violation of rental conditions, but the court ruled that there was no legal reason for termination without notice. While the AfD denies the accusation of breaches of contract, the landlord, Lukas Hufnagel, sees himself under pressure from the party. Despite his desire to reach a settlement, a conciliation negotiation last week failed due to conditions that included a rent increase and an earlier move out.

Consequences of the judgment and further developments

The AfD offered the landlord to move out by October 30, 2026 and to increase the rent by six percent, but this was rejected by the landlord. The landlord also announced that he felt under pressure from threatening calls and threats from the AfD. These allegations were firmly rejected by the AfD, which viewed the dispute as purely economic.

As n-tv reports, the AfD remains in possession of its party headquarters for the time being, as the court did not make a final judgment that day. An appeal against the regional court's decision can be lodged with the Berlin Court of Appeal, which gives the AfD the opportunity to take action against the ruling.

It remains to be seen what steps the landlord will take next and whether the AfD is actually ready to tackle the required changes. The course of the dispute could have both legal and political implications for the party, which plays a significant role in Germany's current political landscape.

Further information can be found in Spiegel.