A German politician from an anti-Islam party resigned and converted to Islam

A German politician from the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) resigned and converted to Islam.Arthur Wagner stepped down on January 11, the group wrote in a Facebook post, and said the decision came as a surprise.The party touts an anti-immigration, anti-Islam platform.Arthur Wagner, a German politician from the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD), has resigned and converted to Islam, according to a party spokesman.Wagner confirmed his resignation to the German publicationDer Tagesspiege.Wagner was a leading member of the AfD in Germany's eastern state of Brandenburg. He left the party on January 11, AfD chairman Andreas Kalbitz wrote in a Facebook post, adding the decision came as a surprise.Kalbitztold CNNthat Wagner had previously been active in the party's Christian wing.Wanger joined the AfD in 2015 and was a member of the Brandenburg committee responsible for religious communities and activities.The AfD party is known for its far-right beliefs and said on itswebsite that it is strongly anti-immigration and anti-Islam.Kalbitz wrote in an official AfD Facebook post on Wednesday that "Islam does not belong to Germany."The party had become the third most popular party in Germany since last year's federal election, during which it won 12.6% of the vote.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: A reporter who met with the former spy behind the Trump-Russia dossier explains why it's not 'fake news
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