Skip to main content

A prominent member of the nationalist Alternative for Germany, or AfD, will resign from his party posts following several controversial and anti-Muslim remarks about migrants.

The party board of the AfD in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt said in a statement Thursday Andre Poggenburg will step down both as the party's state leader and as head of the party's faction in state parliament.

The 42-year-old made headlines last month, when he insulted Turks as "camel drivers" and immigrants with dual passports as a "homeless mob we no longer want to have."

Poggenburg said his resignation was supposed to take "pressure from the party," which has come under criticism for its anti-migrant stance.

AfD came in as the third-strongest party in Germany's national election in September, and is represented in several state parliaments.

This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.

Interact with The Globe