Germany’s right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) has decided to nominate party co-chairman Elis Weidel as its candidate for chancellor in the Bundestag elections to be held on February 23. The AfD, which is second in the polls, is putting its own politician in the running for the head of government for the first time. On the same day, the SPD congress in Berlin almost unanimously approved Olaf Scholz’s candidacy for the position of chancellor.
Delegates unanimously elected Weidel at the AfD’s two-day convention in Ries, Saxony, which began on Saturday.
The AfD co-chairman said in his speech that the party wants to make Germany “strong, rich and secure”. Therefore, according to him, the borders of the country should be closed.
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Weidel announced that his group would restart the Nord Stream gas pipeline. “We will return the Northern Stream to work,” said the leader of the AfD. He called the Christian Democrats a “fraudulent party” and accused them of copying the AfD’s electoral program.
Alice Weidel announced as AfD candidate for chancellor PAP/EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
The AfD candidate for chancellor spoke out against the acquisition of energy from renewable sources. – When we are in power, we will destroy all wind turbines. After the winds of shame, Weidel said. The speech of the leader of AfDon was accompanied by the shouts of the representatives: – Alice for Germany!
AfD for the first time with a candidate for chancellor
This is the first time in AfD’s nearly 12-year history that the party has nominated its own candidate for the position of chancellor. The DPA agency noted that Weidel’s candidacy has a symbolic aspect, because despite the party’s high position in recent polls, the right-wing populists have little chance of participating in the government after other parties refused to cooperate with him.
Due to the protests, the AfD’s federal convention started with a delay of two hours. About 10,000 people demonstrated on Saturday morning and blocked the entrance of the representatives. “All of Germany hates the AfD,” chanted the protesters. There was a fight with the police.
During the conference, the AfD will adopt the program for early elections to the Bundestag, which will be held on February 23. This party proposes, among other things, the withdrawal of Germany from the euro zone and the cancellation of the Paris Agreement on climate protection. The areas of foreign policy, energy, migration and family will be the subject of discussion and voting by the delegates in Riesa.
SPD is betting on Scholz again
On the same day, the SPD congress in Berlin almost unanimously approved the candidacy of Olaf Scholz for the post of chancellor. Out of 628 deputies and members of the party board, only five voted against it; no one refrained. The show of unity was even more important as the incumbent chancellor’s candidacy had been in question for a long time due to the poor reputation of the government and himself.
In his keynote speech, Scholz said Germany is “at a crossroads” and the election will determine the direction the country takes. – If we turn in the wrong direction on February 23, we will wake up in another country the next day. We cannot allow this, he warned.
In his speech, Scholz presented his party as a representative of “ordinary people”, as opposed to the largest opposition bloc – CDU/CSU, which represents the interests of the “10,000 richest people” and wants taxes for those who earn the most. , reduce.
Sadr, who is running for re-election, announced an increase in the minimum wage from 12 to 15 euros an hour and a 95 percent tax cut. German citizens and actions that limit rent increases and heating payments. – We are living in extremely difficult times, said Sholtz, referring to the international situation. He mentioned the war in Ukraine and the possibility of the right-wing FPO taking power in Austria. Without mentioning the name of Donald Trump, he strongly criticized the forces in America who are talking about changing the borders by force and want to “destroy our democratic institutions”.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
