Co-leader of Germany’s AfD rules out ‘power struggle’ before election

Tino Chrupalla, the co-chairman of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), on Sunday said there would be no “power struggle” between party leaders, as the party prepares for national elections in 2025.

Speaking in German public broadcaster ARD’s annual summer interview, Chrupalla said his co-chairwoman Alice Weidel would be a “good candidate for chancellor,” while maintaining that “a party conference or the grassroots” of the party would make the final decision.

Weidel, meanwhile, said she could “think of many candidates” to lead the anti-immigrant party in the national election campaign.

The pair were re-elected as party co-leaders for a further two years at a party conference in late June. Party figures showed that almost 83% voted of members voted in favour of Chrupalla, with almost 80% voting in favour of Weidel.

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Chrupalla said the party would certainly provide its own candidate for chancellor in the elections to Germany’s Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, rather than supporting another party’s bid. “That is quite clear, because I think that’s what the voters expect,” he said.

The AfD is set to launch a “frontal attack” on Germany’s coalition government in the election campaign, Chrupalla said.

Whomever the party decides to present as its candidate for chancellor, Chrupalla expects that it will be united heading into the elections. “You can assume that there will be no power struggle and no dispute,” he concluded.

dpa