Marcus Pretzell

Marcus Pretzell is a German far-right politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) representing Germany until 2019.

Initially a member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Pretzell was expelled from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in 2016 following controversial comments suggesting the use of firearms against migrants at borders. He then affiliated with the Europe of Nations and Freedom group alongside AfD colleagues. In 2017, Pretzell and his wife, the former AfD co-leader Frauke Petry, both left the AfD—where Pretzell had been a senior member—and he retained his MEP seat as an independent before aligning with The Blue Party, a splinter group founded by Petry.

Early life and education

Early life

Marcus Pretzell was born on 16 July 1973 in Rinteln, Lower Saxony, West Germany. He grew up in Wiesbaden.

Education

Pretzell studied law at the University of Heidelberg from 1994 to 2000. He passed the first state examination in law (Erstes Staatsexamen) in 2000.

Political career

Entry into politics

Pretzell entered politics by joining the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in 2013.

In his early activities within the AfD, he served as chairman of the party's district branch in Ostwestfalen-Lippe from 2013 to 2014, contributing to the organization's grassroots expansion amid growing public discontent with eurozone policies.

Tenure in the European Parliament

Marcus Pretzell served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Germany during the 8th parliamentary term, from 1 July 2014 to 1 July 2019.

He initially affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists Group from 1 July 2014 until 11 April 2016, followed by a brief period as a non-attached member, before joining the Europe of Nations and Freedom Group from 1 May 2016 to the end of his term. During this tenure, Pretzell held positions on several committees, including membership in the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection from 1 July 2014 to 18 January 2017 and again from 19 January 2017 to 1 July 2019, as well as the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety from 12 November 2014 to 10 April 2016. He also served as a substitute in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs from 1 July 2014 to 11 April 2016 and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs from 19 January 2017 to 1 July 2019.

Additionally, Pretzell was a member of the Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula throughout his term, from 14 July 2014 to 1 July 2019, and contributed as a shadow rapporteur on reports related to consumer protection directives and the Union Customs Code. His roles involved participation in plenary debates, tabling motions for resolutions, and submitting questions on topics such as EU-Turkey relations and left-wing extremism.

Party switches

Pretzell left the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in September 2017 amid escalating internal party conflicts, particularly those surrounding his wife Frauke Petry's leadership disputes and calls for ideological moderation. This departure highlighted tensions between the party's moderate conservative wing and its increasingly radical elements, with Pretzell aligning against the latter's dominance.

Following his exit from the AfD, Pretzell joined The Blue Party (Die Blaue Partei), a new formation led by Petry that aimed to blend conservative values with liberal economic policies, positioning itself as an alternative to the AfD's populist trajectory. He remained affiliated with The Blue Party until 2019, reflecting a strategic shift toward a platform emphasizing national conservatism without the AfD's more confrontational rhetoric on historical issues. This change occurred against the backdrop of his ongoing service as a Member of the European Parliament.

Controversies and scandals

Border security statement

In November 2015, Pretzell advocated for the defense of Germany's borders using armed force in response to asylum seekers crossing illegally, stating that such measures were necessary to protect national sovereignty. This remark drew widespread condemnation for its perceived endorsement of lethal force against migrants, amplifying debates over immigration policy amid the European migrant crisis.

The statement contributed to Pretzell's expulsion from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament in March 2016, alongside fellow AfD MEP Beatrix von Storch, as the group cited the party's shift toward more extreme positions. ECR leaders viewed the comments as incompatible with their platform, prompting the decision to remove the AfD representatives to maintain cohesion.

Following the expulsion, Pretzell aligned with Marine Le Pen’s Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) faction, reflecting a broader convergence between AfD and other nationalist groups in the Parliament. This shift positioned him within a more ideologically aligned bloc focused on sovereignty and anti-immigration stances.

Donation scandal involvement

Pretzell, as chairman of the AfD's North Rhine-Westphalia branch from 2014 to 2017, facilitated financial support from the Swiss PR firm Goal AG for a 2016 conference in Düsseldorf aimed at networking right-wing European parties. The firm covered unpaid costs of 28,037.60 euros after the event's initial organizers, the European Conservatives and Reformists group, withdrew amid controversy.

German authorities classified this payment as a prohibited foreign donation, violating rules against non-EU funding for parties, and imposed a 108,000 euro fine on the AfD in 2020. The party contested the penalty but lost in court, confirming the illegality. Pretzell had initiated contact with Goal AG in May 2015 and sought its sponsorship to avert political fallout, later describing the arrangement in post-departure interviews as aid for a "politically toxic" dispute.

This episode forms part of the broader AfD Spendenaffäre, involving multiple scrutinized foreign contributions from Switzerland and elsewhere, which Pretzell helped expose after his 2017 exit from the party alongside Frauke Petry.

Yalta Economic Forum attendance

In 2016, Pretzell participated in the Yalta International Economic Forum held in Crimea, which Russia had annexed from Ukraine in 2014. He stayed at the five-star Mriya Resort & Spa hotel during the three-day event.

Pretzell later admitted that Russia covered the costs of his trip to Crimea. An investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported that a Kremlin-linked group arranged payments to European politicians, including listing Pretzell as a recipient of thousands of euros in compensation specifically for his attendance at the forum; Pretzell denied being offered any such money.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Marcus Pretzell has been married to Frauke Petry, a German chemist and former politician, since December 2016. Prior to their marriage, Pretzell had four children from a previous relationship, and Petry had four children from her previous marriage. Pretzell and Petry have two children together.