Today, on February 23, 2025, there are early elections to the Bundestag in Germany after the collapse of a coalition government, headed by Chancellor Olaf Sholtz in November 2024, Industrial Zaporozhye writes. According to the latest exitpols, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) under the guidance of Friedrich Merz is leading with approximately 30% of the vote, while the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AFD) is gaining about 21-23% and ranks second.
Despite the growing support, other parties refuse to form a coalition with AFD because of its contradictory policy and the dubious reputation of its leader Alice Weidel. The main topics of the election campaign were economic difficulties, immigration and crime, which caused political tension and reducing confidence in the political system among voters.
Alice Weidel, the leader of the far -right party “Alternative for Germany” (AFD), known for its atypical for the party with biography and political views. According to Reuters, a 46-year-old politician is fluent in English and Mandarin, has a doctorate in China's economy and professional experience in Goldman Sachs and Allianz Global Investors. She joined AFD in 2013 due to his disagreement with financial salvation during the eurozone crisis, and later became one of the most influential party figures.
Waidel's political activity is aimed at promoting economic liberalism, strict immigration control and skeptical attitude to climate change. It combines respectability in public speaking with radical nationalist forces, which contributes to the growth of popularity AFD, writes The Atlantic.
At the same time, Waidel's personal life often becomes an outfit; She raises two sons together with a partner born in Sri Lanka, which is unusual for a party that positions herself as a defender of traditional family values. According to The Times, AFD is known for its criticism of the LGBT community, opposes same-sex marriages and adoption of children with homosexual pairs. This makes the Waidel position in the party contradictory because her personal life does not correspond to the ideological attachments of AFD.Waidel responds to this criticism restrained, avoiding open discussions. She states that her sexual orientation is not related to politics and emphasizes that she supports traditional family values, Reuters reports. At the same time, she notes that the party has different opinions about LGBT, but the general political line AFD remains conservative. Her position is charged with double standards, both inside the party and among its opponents. Espreso.tv. Her political statements are also often the object of criticism. In particular, during a recent conversation with Ilon Mask, she called Adolf Hitler a “communist” that caused public outrage, writes The Guardian. causes concern both in Germany and beyond.
Recall that Germany restricts entry for Ukrainians with refugee status.