German court issues arrest warrant for AfD lawmaker Krah over unpaid legal costs

Published Aug 13, 11:53 AM UTC

A German court has issued a civil arrest warrant for Maximilian Krah, a sitting AfD lawmaker and former MEP, after he failed to attend a bailiff's appointment concerning unpaid legal costs. The dispute originated from a podcast by satirist Jan Böhmermann, who read a claim that Krah ordered 200 bottles of champagne at Oktoberfest, later corrected to 50. Krah sought an injunction for violation of personal rights, but the Düsseldorf regional court dismissed the case and ordered him to cover legal costs. Böhmermann's lawyers recovered around €5,000, but €296.26 remains outstanding. Krah claims he paid the main amount and was unaware of the bailiff's appointment. Due to his Bundestag mandate, the warrant cannot be enforced without parliamentary authorization. Krah previously sparked controversy in 2024 by stating not all SS members were criminals, causing a rift with French allies.