AfD leader Weidel to present plan to shrink EU powers

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 23:44 · Archive

Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD, will present her party's proposal to drastically reduce EU powers at the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD, will present her party's policy programme for the EU at the European Parliament on Wednesday at an event entitled 'Our new deal for Europe'.

The AfD does not initially seek to leave the EU or eurozone. Instead, the party wants to renegotiate EU treaties and substantially reduce the bloc's powers, institutions and budget. The party proposes replacing direct European Parliament elections with delegates appointed by national parliaments, limiting the European Commission to purely administrative tasks, and replacing the EU's top court with an arbitration tribunal. The AfD would also slash and cap the EU budget, freeze staffing numbers and abolish agencies.

Germany under the AfD would seek exemptions from EU regulations on migration and social policy, and potentially other areas such as agriculture and financial policies. The party would threaten to slash Germany's contributions to the EU budget. DW News reports that if the EU would not accept the AfD's demands for reform, the party would seek a German referendum on EU membership, though such a referendum would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the Bundestag and Bundesrat to amend the German Basic Law.

The AfD hopes to implement these policies in 2029 when German and European elections take place. Recent surveys show the AfD in first place in German federal election polling, but it would need to form a coalition to establish a governing majority, which other parties refuse through a 'firewall' policy against cooperation with the party.

How it is being reported

• AfD's Alice Weidel to unveil plan to cut EU powers — reportThe far-right AfD will propose slashing powers of the European Union when it presents its policy paper on Wednesday, Politico reports.DW News · 20 Oct, 23:25
• AfD’s Alice Weidel to unveil plan to downsize the EUThe far-right party leader will present her party's ideas for the EU at the European Parliament.Politico Europe · 20 Oct, 11:01

In this story: Alice Weidel · AfD · Germany · European Parliament · European Union · European Commission · Marine Le Pen · France

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