Alice Weidel Named AfD's First Chancellor Candidate for Germany's Snap Election

The far-right party's choice of its co-leader, a Mandarin-speaking economist and openly gay politician, signals a bid for broader appeal despite limited coalition prospects.

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD, has been officially nominated as the party's first-ever chancellor candidate ahead of Germany's February 23 snap election.
Weidel, 45, is an openly gay economist with a background in international finance, living with her Sri Lankan-born partner and their two children in Switzerland.
The AfD, polling at around 18%, is the second-most-popular party in Germany but faces isolation as no other party has agreed to form a coalition with it.
Weidel represents the more moderate faction of the party but has adopted nationalist and anti-immigration stances, including advocating for an EU exit and stricter migration policies.
While her candidacy is largely symbolic given the current political landscape, analysts see it as part of the AfD's strategy to enhance its legitimacy and media presence.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung