Far-Right AfD Leader Pledges to Campaign for Brexit-Style EU Exit Vote in Germany

Alice Weidel, leader of the German far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, has pledged her party would push for a Germany-exit (Dexit) referendum on the EU membership akin to Brexit if they secure power.

She cited the UK's exit as an exemplary move for promoting German self-determination.

Weidel's comments to the Financial Times highlight the first major AfD stance since they came under fire from protests sparked by the leak of a controversial meeting discussing deportations. The protests gained massive support, with over a million demonstrators across the country.

Despite her support for a Dexit referendum as a last resort, Weidel expressed a primary aim to reform the EU and address its democratic deficits, focusing on diminishing the European Commission's influence.

Currently, the AfD is experiencing a peak in popularity, leading polls and potentially dominating upcoming eastern state elections, although they remain excluded from coalitions and thus, out of power in all 16 German states.

Support for the EU remains high among the German public, with approximately 80% in favor, although AfD voters show the least support.

The AfD's long-term aspirations are underscored by Weidel's statements, and the party remains steadfast despite debates on whether it should be banned as unconstitutional.

The German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, faces pressure to address various crises while managing a rise in AfD support, partly due to public frustration.

The AfD also faces internal challenges following the leaked meeting, with Weidel dismissing her senior aide involved in the discussions but denying the party's intention to implement any mass deportation schemes.

In the wider German political scene, Hans-Georg Maaßen, a member of the WerteUnion within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), announced the creation of a new political party aligning with the AfD, signaling further fragmentation in the country’s political landscape.

This came shortly after Sahra Wagenknecht's departure from the far-left Die Linke to start her own anti-immigrant party.