Alice Weidel
- Known for
- AfD co-chairwoman, far-right politician
- Born in
- Gütersloh, West Germany
- Education
- Doctorate in international development, University of Bayreuth
Alice Weidel is a leading figure of the far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), currently serving as co-chairwoman and the party's candidate for Chancellor in the 2025 election. With a background in international finance, her politics blend staunch economic liberalism with hardline stances on migration and the European Union. She is recognized for leading the AfD’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag since 2017.
Signature Positions
Weidel champions a fiercely nationalist and conservative agenda across key policy areas:
- European Union: Supports reforming the EU from within by reducing its competencies, but threatens a German exit (Dexit) if reform efforts fail.
- Migration & Integration: Advocates for a "Fortress Europe" approach, seeking to ban the burqa and niqāb, and warning against "generational replacement" via unregulated immigration.
- Economic Policy: Models herself after Margaret Thatcher, supporting tax cuts, opposing the minimum wage, and advocating for the abolition of inheritance tax.
- Climate Change: Expresses strong doubts about human influence on global warming, proposing to dismantle wind turbines and restart nuclear and coal power plants.
- Russia & Ukraine: Argues Germany should cease sanctions against Russia and suggests Ukraine should not join the EU; views the division of Ukrainian territory as "not our issue."
Notable Tensions
Weidel’s career is marked by several notable contradictions and controversies:
- Personal Life vs. Social Stance: Although a lesbian in a civil partnership, she opposes the legalization of same-sex marriage, favouring civil partnerships while supporting the "traditional family."
- EU Stance Shift: While once advocating for Germany to leave the Eurozone, she recently stated it is "far too late to leave the euro", relativizing the AfD's core program.
- US Relations: In comments to Donald Trump, she demanded German independence from US influence if Germany is expected to handle its own security, comparing the relationship to that of a "slave."
- Controversial Rhetoric: She faced criticism, including a formal reprimand, for using language suggesting "generational replacement" and was involved in a controversial media incident over comments on political correctness.
As co-chair, Weidel represents the more moderate conservative wing (Alternative Mitte) of the AfD, often balancing the more radical elements within the party. Her background in finance and doctorate on the Chinese pension system provide a technocratic veneer to her hardline populist platform. She has actively sought models abroad, praising Viktor Orbán's Hungary as a template for the AfD.