Petr Bystron MEP - Immigration, Sovereignty and the Future of EU: An AfD Perspective

Join us for another episode of Hearts of Oak Podcast, where we're honoured to have the return of Petr Bystron, a Member of the European Parliament representing the Alternative for Germany (AfD), as our guest.
In this insightful conversation, Petr delves into the transformative currents sweeping through European politics, sparked by the AfD's significant electoral achievements.
We'll explore how the AfD's strategic alliances are influencing European policy, the media's portrayal of populist movements, and the party's dedication to tackling critical issues like immigration and national sovereignty head-on. Petr provides a unique perspective on the shifting dynamics within the EU, where traditional political alignments are giving way to a resurgence of nationalist sentiments.
Expect a candid discussion that goes beyond the headlines, examining the core values and political philosophies at play in today's Europe. Tune in as we navigate these complex waters with one of the key figures shaping the continent's future.

Petr Bystron is the highest-ranking foreign politician of the AfD: He has been Chairman of the AfD in the Foreign Committee of the German Bundestag since 2017. Since 2021 he has been the foreign policy spokesman for his party and its representative in the Council of Europe and the Interparliamentary Union (IPU).
He was the first AfD politician to be officially received by an incumbent president (Milos Zeman) and the first European to receive the „Eagle Award “ from the conservative US Phyllis Schlafly Foundation.
He was born in the CSSR, from which he fled to Germany at the age of 16, where he received political asylum.
Thirty years later, he faced similar persecution in Bavaria: during the 2017 election campaign, he was subjected to an illegal house search and it was announced that he was being monitored by the Bavarian secret service.
In addition to these state reprisals, he is always the target of attacks by left-wing extremists.
Bystron is actively committed to supporting politically persecuted people. In 2018, with the help of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, he was able to free journalist Billy Six from Venezuelan detention.
Petr Bystron is one of the founding members of the AfD. From 2015 to 2017 he was the state leader of the party in Bavaria. He took over the party in a crisis and led it from 3.5% of the vote to the best election result of all western federal states in the 2017 federal election with 12.7%.
He founded and headed his party's National Committee for European and Foreign Policy (2013-2015).
Bystron studied political science at the University of Politics and the Ludwig Maximillian University in Munich and has been working as a journalist for years. His articles on business and politics have been published in renowned daily newspapers and magazines in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
He has won several creative competitions, including an EU essay competition on the future of Europe.
His current book 'MEGA – Make Europe Great Again' contains portraits of leading conservative politicians such as Viktor Orbán, Marine Le Penn and Nigel Farage.
Petr is married, has two children and has lived in his constituency of Munich North for more than 30 years. He has been an entrepreneur for over thirty years.

Connect with Petr and The AfD...
𝕏 x.com/PetrBystronAfD
x.com/AfDimBundestag
INSTAGRAM instagram.com/petr.bystron
WEBSITE petrbystron.de

Interview recorded 6.9.24

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