German far-right leader Weidel says Orbán is 'beacon of freedom'
Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, on Friday praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a "beacon of freedom" during a conference held in Budapest.
Addressing her audience in English, Weidel said: "The wind of change is blowing."
Referring to a decision by Germany's domestic intelligence agency to classify her party, which took second place in the February elections, as extremist, Weidel said: "They spy on the opposition, to denounce the AfD as an enemy of the constitution, fabricating a pretext for outlawing our party."
Weidel said to loud applause from the audience that moves to have the AfD banned by the German courts would not prevail.
The intelligence agency has said it will refrain from classifying the AfD as "confirmed right-wing extremist" until a Cologne civil court has ruled on an urgent application from the party.
The annual gathering in Budapest is linked to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the United States. Orbán uses the event to promote networking between international right-wing organizations.
A common thread is a favourable attitude towards Russia under President Vladimir Putin.
This year the conference drew attendances from Herbert Kickl, head of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
US President Donald Trump sent greetings by video.
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