Dirk Spaniel

Dirk Spaniel (born 3 November 1971) is a German politician (Alternative for Germany (AfD)). Dirk Spaniel has served as a member of the Bundestag from the state of Baden-Württemberg since 2017.

Life
In 2015 he became member of "Alternative für Deutschland". At the party convention in November 2016 Spaniel was unable to assert himself for nomination as Bundestag candidate. However, he later became a direct candidate for the constituency Stuttgart I. He became member of the Bundestag after the 2017 German federal election. He is a member of the Committee on Transport and Digital Infrastructure. In 2021 he got reelected.

At the state party conference on February 23, 2019, he was elected speaker of the Baden-Württemberg state association alongside Bernd Gögel. He defeated Martin Hess with 371 votes to 341.

In 2024 there was an open exchange of blows over power in the AfD sate association Baden-Württemberg between Spaniel's camp and the chairmen Markus Frohnmaier and Emil Sänzle, who are supported by Alice Weidel. At a special party conference, the members of the state executive committee, including Spaniel, switched off each other's microphones and the meeting descended into chaos. Nevertheless, Spaniel was unable to prevail.

Spaniel is attributed to the “AfD wing” of right-wing extremists.

Positions
At the AfD-convention 2021 in Dresden Spaniel called for Germany to leave the European Union ("Dexit").