Germany's judiciary is widening its investigation into foreign donations made to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to include those that came from Belgium.
Amid ongoing controversy over questionable campaign donations the AfD received from Switzerland, the party made the surprise announcement late Wednesday that it received 150,000 euros (170,000 dollars) from Belgium on February 13.
The party made the announcement in apparent anticipation of a media report due to be published about the case.
The AfD said the funds were donated to its Lake Constance branch in southern Germany, the district belonging to party co-chair Alice Weidel. The apparently unsolicited Belgian donation was sent back on May 9.
The money received from Belgium will also be examined to determine whether it violates Germany's federal regulations for political parties, a spokesman for the public prosecutor in Konstanz told dpa.
"We will of course also turn our attention to the issue of Belgium," the spokesman said Thursday.
German prosecutors already said they intended to open a case on Weidel and concerns that campaign finance laws were violated due to some 130,000 euros paid to the AfD under the name of a Swiss pharmaceutical company in tranches between July and September 2017.
A Zurich-based company has since confirmed the payment, but its board stressed the money was transferred on behalf of someone else. The name and identity of the original donor remains unknown.
Donations to political parties from citizens of non-EU member countries are not allowed in Germany.
