On December 7, the far-right Alternative for Germany party nominated Alice Weidel as a candidate for chancellor – she is an open lesbian who criticizes same-sex marriage and advocates anti-migrant rhetoric.
According to Reuters, the ADN, which is suspected of anti-democratic aims, is unlikely to become part of the ruling coalition any time soon as other parties have ruled out cooperation with it.
However, her electoral success is putting pressure on the Conservatives to reconsider their stance on alliances as the influence of their traditional partner, the Free Democrats (FDP), declines.
According to Hans Warlander, a political scientist at the Technical University of Dresden, Weidel’s arrival in this post is aimed at strengthening the party in the political arena.
There is a claim to power that needs to be asserted, and the best way to do that is to nominate a candidate for chancellor,” he explained. “It also allows you to be present in the media, since there are always debates between the so-called chancellor candidates.
What is known about Weidel
Alice Weidel, the 45-year-old co-chair of the AfD, has an atypical profile for the party.
Prior to her political career, Weidel worked for Goldman Sachs and Allianz Global Investors, and also served as a business consultant.
Political analysts say her unique experience could make him attractive to moderate voters.
In recent years, the AfD has exploited growing public concern over high levels of immigration, a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine and the crisis of the German economic model, as well as frustration with infighting within the ruling coalition, which collapsed last month.
Weidel is also openly gay and lives in a civil partnership with Swiss-Sri Lankan film producer Sarah Bossard. At the same time, the Alternative for Germany deputy opposes same-sex marriage, but supports civil partnerships.
The party wants to sharply limit immigration, especially from Muslim countries, stop arms sales to Ukraine, renew relations with Russia, get nuclear power plants back online and leave the European Union unless it implements serious reforms. She won the trust of some voters by addressing sensitive issues openly before the major parties.
In the last state elections, the AfD won first place in two federal states in eastern Germany, despite mass protests against the party.
According to opinion polls published on December 6, the AfD is supported by 17% of voters, which puts the party in third place behind the Conservatives, who receive 33%. At the same time, the number of AfD members has grown by 50% over the past year, reaching about 50.6 thousand individuals.
Which coalition is the best?
Earlier, the Germans named the best coalitions for the future government. According to a survey by the sociological institute INSA, the majority of German citizens support the idea of forming a grand coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. This option was preferred by 29% of respondents. Alliances between the CDU/CSU and the Greens or VDP are less popular – only 13% of respondents expressed support for them.
24% of Germans would like to see a CDU/CSU coalition with the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, despite party leaders ruling out such a possibility.
The leader of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, remains in the position of chancellor. He was supported by 40% of respondents, leaving far behind Olaf Scholz (14%), Alice Weidel (14%) and Robert Habeck (8%). Even among SPD voters, Scholz has only a slight lead over Merz.
The upcoming elections will be held in winter for the first time—mid-February 2025—which could increase the popularity of mail voting. Already, 46% of voters have said they plan to use this method.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.