Federal election
AfD leadership decides: Alice Weidel should be candidate for chancellor

Co-leader Alice Weidel will be the face of the AfD in the federal election campaign
© Bernd von Jutrczenka / DPA
Agreement in the AfD leadership: Tino Chrupalla gives way to Alice Weidel. She will be the top candidate for the federal election.
AfD ranks second nationwide behind the CDU
Chrupalla recently announced the decision on the candidate for chancellor. After the gains in the three state elections in the east as well as the European elections last June, the AfD is heading into the federal election campaign with “enormous tailwind”.
The AfD emerged from the state elections in Brandenburg with 29.2 percent, just behind the SPD, as the second strongest force. The party performed particularly well among younger voters, but rather weakly among women. The party, which was classified as firmly right-wing extremist in both countries, made significant gains in the elections in Saxony and Thuringia three weeks ago, as well as in the European elections in June.
Chrupalla: We have some catching up to do in terms of personnel
In nationwide surveys, the AfD is currently in second place behind the Union. Co-leader Alice Weidel called the latest survey figure of 20 percent a “very encouraging number”. The position as the second strongest force gives rise to a right to participate in the government. With regard to the election campaign, Weidel said: “I believe that we have to stay the course.”
Chrupalla recently admitted that the AfD had some catching up to do in terms of personnel. It’s now about “bringing people to the fore who also receive great support from voters,” he said. His party still needs to improve in terms of competence, credibility, expertise, empathy and sympathy. In the federal election, the AfD wants to “continue to make gains in all age groups” and particularly increase its “attractiveness for women,” said Chrupalla.