German AfD's local cell given notice on bank account, cites political reasons

BERLIN (Reuters) - A local chapter of the far-right Alternative for Germany party said on Wednesday its account had been terminated by the cooperative bank where it keeps its money, describing the move as part of the election campaign against it.

When contacted by Reuters, Volksbank Duesseldorf-Neuss said it would not comment on any customer relationships.

The AfD continues to run a strong second in the polls ahead of the Feb. 23 national election and analysts say Donald Trump's return to the White House could give the anti-immigration, anti-Islam party a further boost.

Analysts say it is unlikely to gain power due to the other parties' "firewall" - a refusal to work with a party they regard as anti-democratic. But some politicians from other parties have called for a tougher response to the AfD, even an outright ban.

The German electoral system makes it almost impossible to form a government without a coalition of parties.

The Duesseldorf branch of the AfD party posted a letter on its social media channel in which it was told by Volksbank Duesseldorf-Neuss that its account would be closed.

"We are making use of our right under our general conditions of business to end our business relationship from March 31," the bank said in the letter, without giving a more specific reason for its move.

This is not the first such case.

Last year, the Berlin Volksbank closed the AfD's donations account after 33,000 people signed a petition started by "Grandmas against the Right", an anti-fascist activist group.

"Debanking is a curious way of campaigning," the AfD's Duesseldorf branch said on Telegram. Its campaign will not necessarily be affected since the party has until the end of March, more than a month after election day, to make alternative arrangements.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Ludwig Burger and Mark Heinrich)