While relations between the French Rassemblement National (RN) and the German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) had become strained after a cabal in the German press against the AfD about remigration, the leaders of the two political groupings have stepped up contacts to overcome misunderstandings and try to strengthen ties.
An investigation published by the German ‘investigative journalism network’ Correctiv claimed in January that the AfD had spoken out at a meeting in favour of the ‘remigration’ of German nationals who had not assimilated. On the strength of these press rumours, which were denied by the AfD, the Rassemblement National, the AfD’s ally in the European Parliament’s right-wing Identity & Democracy (ID) group, announced that it wanted to distance itself from its German counterpart, and vigorously condemned any form of ‘remigration.’
