Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-chair Alice Weidel has suggested that the party could put forward its own candidate for Germany’s largely ceremonial presidency in 2027, arguing that the party’s growing political strength should be reflected in the selection of the country’s head of state.
Speaking about the upcoming vote to replace Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose term ends in 2027, Alice Weidel said her party is increasingly influential in the Federal Convention that elects the president. Because of this, she believes the party should consider presenting its own nominee for the position.
The German president is elected not by popular vote but by the Federal Convention, a body composed of members of the Bundestag and representatives of Germany’s federal states. The composition of this assembly depends on the balance of power in federal and regional parliaments. For the first time, the AfD could become the second-largest party in the Federal Convention.
Weidel also reiterated the AfD’s long-standing demand that Germany should introduce the direct election of the president, arguing that the current system distances citizens from the process of choosing the country’s head of state.
