Alice Weidel

Alice Weidel is a German far-right politician and the co-chair of Alternative for Germany (AfD), serving as the party’s parliamentary leader in the Bundestag.

Political career

Alice Elisabeth Weidel was born in 1979 in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia. She studied economics and business administration, later completing a doctorate in economics at the University of Bayreuth. Before entering frontline party politics, she built a professional career in the private sector, including work in finance and consultancy, and also spent time abroad in Asia, experiences that she has occasionally used to present herself as economically competent and internationally experienced.

Weidel entered the AfD as the party emerged in the early 2010s, initially associated with its economically liberal and Eurosceptic wing. Her rise was rapid. She first gained national prominence as one of the AfD’s lead figures during the 2017 federal election campaign, when she stood as the party’s top candidate alongside Alexander Gauland. The AfD entered the Bundestag for the first time in that election, becoming the largest opposition force. Since 2017, Weidel has served as Chairwoman of the AfD Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag, giving her a central role in shaping the party’s parliamentary strategy and public profile.

In 2022, she became federal co-chair of the AfD, sharing the leadership of the party at national level. That position reflected her status as one of the best-known faces of the party, even though the AfD has often been marked by internal tension between more economically liberal and more openly nationalist or ethnonationalist currents. In 2025, she was selected as the AfD’s candidate for Chancellor, confirming her role as the party’s principal national figure in election campaigns.

Relationship with the public

Weidel’s relationship with the public is closely tied to the AfD’s broader polarising position in German politics. She is highly visible in the Bundestag, in televised debates and on social media, where she presents herself as a tough critic of the political establishment, particularly on migration, taxation, energy policy and EU affairs. Her style is often disciplined and sharp, and she is one of the AfD’s most media-effective speakers.

At the same time, her public profile is shaped by strong rejection from many parts of civil society, mainstream parties and large sections of the media, which regard the AfD as a radical-right force. Weidel is frequently scrutinised because she combines a conventional, professional presentation with a party line that is widely viewed as anti-establishment and nativist. This contrast has helped her attract attention beyond the party’s core electorate, but it has not removed the deep mistrust many voters and institutions feel towards the AfD.

She has also been important for the AfD’s efforts to broaden its appeal. As a woman in a leading position in a party often criticised for hard-right rhetoric, she has been used to project an image of competence and modernity, particularly to voters dissatisfied with the mainstream centre-right and centre-left.

Positions and political profile

Weidel is associated with the AfD’s economic-liberal, anti-immigration and strongly Eurosceptic profile. She has argued for lower taxes, reduced state intervention, stricter border controls, tougher asylum policy and a more restrictive approach to integration. On the EU, she has repeatedly defended positions critical of deeper integration and has been among the AfD’s prominent voices questioning core elements of German and European economic governance.

Inside the party, she is often seen as one of the AfD’s more polished and strategically minded politicians. Her supporters value her as a credible campaigner and parliamentary performer who can translate the party’s messaging into a more technically sophisticated language. Outside the party, she is often perceived as helping to normalise a movement that many critics consider extremist or authoritarian in tone.

Key moments in her career include her 2017 selection as lead candidate, which marked her national breakthrough; her ascension to the Bundestag parliamentary leadership, which entrenched her as one of the party’s central strategists; and her elevation to federal co-chair in 2022, which confirmed her position at the top of the AfD hierarchy. Her role as the party’s 2025 Chancellor candidate further consolidates her status as the face of the AfD in federal politics.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alice Weidel? Alice Weidel is a German politician and one of the leading figures of the AfD. She is the party’s federal co-chair and the leader of its parliamentary group in the Bundestag.

What party does Alice Weidel belong to? She belongs to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a right-wing populist and far-right party in German politics.

What does Alice Weidel stand for politically? She is known for anti-immigration, Eurosceptic and economically liberal positions, with a strong focus on border controls, lower taxes and opposition to the political mainstream.

What has Alice Weidel’s role in the Bundestag been? Since 2017, she has served as Chairwoman of the AfD Parliamentary Group, making her one of the key figures shaping the party’s work in parliament.

Was Alice Weidel the AfD’s candidate for Chancellor? Yes. She was the AfD’s Chancellor candidate in 2025, underlining her status as the party’s main national figure.

Why is Alice Weidel controversial? She is controversial because she leads a party widely accused by critics of radicalising German politics on immigration, national identity and democratic norms, while presenting herself as a pragmatic, competent alternative to established parties.