AfD's Alice Weidel to unveil plan to cut EU powers — report

According to a Politico report, the AfD policy paper does not initially seek Germany's exit from the EU or the eurozone. Instead, the party wants to significantly reduce the European Union's powers and budget, marking a fundamental shift in Germany's relationship with the bloc.

Proposed EU Reforms

The AfD would replace direct European Parliament elections with delegates appointed by national parliaments. The party also aims to limit the European Commission to purely administrative tasks and replace the European Court of Justice with an arbitration tribunal.

Germany under AfD leadership would threaten to slash its contributions to the EU budget and seek exemptions from EU regulations on migration, social policy, agriculture, and financial policies.

Ultimate Demand

If the EU refuses to bend to the AfD's reform demands, the party would then pursue a German referendum on EU membership. However, such a referendum would require a constitutional amendment to the German Basic Law, needing a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and Bundesrat — an extremely high threshold to achieve.

2029 Election Strategy

The AfD hopes to implement its EU policies following the next German and European elections in 2029. Recent polls show the AfD leading in federal election surveys, though they would need to form a coalition government. Other parties like the Christian Democratic Union maintain a 'firewall' policy against cooperating with the AfD.