BERLIN: The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Saturday nominated co-leader Alice Weidel as its first chancellor candidate in the party’s 11-year history, setting out its bid for power ahead of a snap election due in February.

The party is not likely to form part of a governing coalition any time soon because other parties have ruled out working with it, despite ranking second in opinion polls behind the main opposition conservatives.

But a string of state electoral successes by the AfD are increasing pressure on the conservatives in particular to drop their firewall to the party and consider a right-wing coalition, especially given the weakness of their erstwhile traditional partner, the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP).

“We are the second-strongest force in the nationwide polls and from this we derive our claim to govern, because we want to do better, we want to bring Germany forward again, we want to be at the top of the world again,” Weidel told reporters in Berlin from a stage adorned with two large German flags. “Voters clearly want a coalition of conservatives and the AfD,” she said.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024