The AfD has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that Dingler's donation was made from his own wealth and complied with legal requirements for party donations.

Under German law, donations exceeding €35,000 must be reported to the Bundestag, which raises questions about the transparency of this funding.

The NGO Lobbycontrol has called for reforms in party financing, emphasizing the need for stronger oversight to prevent dubious funding schemes.

CSU Bundestag member Volker Ullrich has stressed the necessity for immediate clarification regarding the potential violations of party financing laws by the AfD.

Austrian authorities, including the Federal Criminal Police, are investigating potential money laundering linked to this case, with a complaint already under review.

As investigations continue, the presumption of innocence applies to the AfD amid the ongoing scrutiny over the donation scandal.

Green Party leader Irene Mihalic has called for an urgent investigation into the donations, warning of threats to democracy from illicit campaign financing.

The scandal centers around a €2.35 million donation allegedly from real estate billionaire Henning Conle, with Gerhard Dingler, a former FPÖ official, identified as the donor.

This is not the first time Conle has been implicated in a donation controversy with the AfD; a previous incident led to a €400,000 fine for the party in 2017.

Experts suggest that if the AfD can demonstrate they were unaware of the illegal origins of the donation, they might retain the funds, but they must accurately report the donor.

If the AfD is found to have violated donation laws, they may face penalties, including the need to return the funds.

Days before the upcoming Bundestag elections, a significant party donation scandal has surfaced involving the Alternative for Germany (AfD), as reported by 'Spiegel'.