Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has reaffirmed its ambition to govern the country. Wrapping up the party's national convention in Erfurt, the capital of the eastern state of Thuringia, re-elected co-leader Alice Weidel was pointing to current opinion polls that see the party in the lead across Germany. "We are the strongest force. We are a people's party with 30% support. And we will govern," she said.
Earlier, delegates had confirmed the party's co-leadership. Weidel, who ran as the AfD's main candidate in Germany's 2025 federal election, slightly improved on her result from two years ago, winning 81.3% of the vote. Her co-chair, Tino Chrupalla, by contrast, lost significant support and received just 70%.
More importantly for Weidel, many of her supporters were elected to the new federal board. This has strengthened the influence of Weidel, who holds a doctorate in economics, over the party's future direction. Within the AfD and in the media, there has long been speculation over Weidel's ambition to lead the party on her own in the future.
Boost for the far-right wing
The composition of the newly elected board suggests that the AfD is set to continue pursuing a hardline strategy to set itself apart from all other parties. No fewer than six of the 14 members of the new board come from state branches that Germany's domestic intelligence authorities classify as right-wing extremist organizations.The party convention surrounded by strong police presenceImage: Martin Schutt/dpa/picture alliance
