Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is rising in the polls, plans to hold a referendum on Germany's exit from the European Union if it comes to power, said his co-leader Alice Weidel in an interview published Monday.
“
If reform is not possible, if we fail to rebuild the sovereignty of EU member states, we should let the people decide, as the UK has done
,” Ms Weidel told the
Financial Times
.
“
We could organize a referendum on 'Dexit' - an exit of Germany from the EU
,” she added, hailing
the United Kingdom's exit from the EU as “
a model for Germany
”. European Union after the 2016 referendum.
AfD member running for chancellor in 2025
Buoyed by record polls which have placed it for several months in second position nationally (around 22%), ahead of the social-democratic party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and just behind the conservatives, the German far right is displaying its desire to govern .
The next legislative elections will take place in 2025 and the AfD will present a candidate for chancellor for the first time.
The main parties, on the other hand, have ruled out allying themselves and governing with this anti-EU and anti-immigration formation in a context of ever-increasing fragmentation of the political landscape which involves the formation of coalitions at national and regional level.
Giant demonstrations against the AfD
Three important regional elections will be held in September in the east of the country and the AfD is at the top of opinion polls with more than 30%.
During its congress this summer, the AfD asserted its Eurosceptic beliefs in a Germany where membership of the EU remains supported by a very large majority of the population.
The AfD has been in turmoil for ten days after it was revealed that several of its members, including a close friend of Ms. Weidel, recently discussed the mass expulsion of people of foreign origin during an identity rally ultra.
These revelations caused an electric shock in Germany where giant demonstrations against the AfD, accused of being a danger to democracy, have been taking place throughout the country for several days.