The key facts

  • The AfD does not propose leaving the EU or the eurozone at the first stage — the party wants to cut the union's powers and budget (Politico).
  • The proposal includes abolishing direct elections to the European Parliament, reducing the European Commission to administrative functions, and replacing the CJEU with an arbitration tribunal.
  • If the EU does not agree to reforms, the AfD plans to push for a referendum on Germany's membership, which would require amending the Basic Law with a two-thirds majority.

AfD's EU program to be presented in the European Parliament

Alice Weidel, co-leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), is expected to present the party's program on the European Union on Wednesday in the European Parliament. This is reported by Politico, which Deutsche Welle cites. According to this information, the document does not provide for Germany's exit from the EU or the eurozone at the first stage — instead, the party intends to reduce the union's powers and budget.

Key provisions of the document

Instead of direct elections to the European Parliament, the AfD proposes forming the chamber from delegates appointed by national parliaments. The European Commission's powers would be limited exclusively to administrative tasks, and the Court of Justice of the European Union would be replaced with an arbitration tribunal. The party is also ready to threaten reducing Germany's contributions to the EU budget. The AfD intends to seek exemptions for Germany from pan-European rules in the areas of migration and social policy, and possibly in other areas, including agriculture and fiscal policy.

Referendum as a fallback option and electoral prospects

If the EU does not accommodate the AfD's demands for reforms, the party plans to push for a referendum in Germany on membership in the union. As DW notes, such a referendum would be unrealistic: holding it would require an amendment to the Basic Law, which needs a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat — an extremely high threshold. The AfD expects to implement its EU policy in 2029, when the next elections in Germany and Europe will take place. According to the latest polls ahead of the federal elections, the AfD holds first place, but forming a governing majority would require a coalition partner, which is difficult: other parties, including the CDU, refuse to cooperate with the AfD under the 'firewall' policy.