Germany’s far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), has once again accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of electoral fraud, a claim made without evidence, while simultaneously attempting to rehabilitate its controversial image ahead of future elections.
At a press conference following a closed-door party meeting in Heilbronn, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel claimed that Merz had abandoned key campaign promises and accused his government of continuing “left-green policies,” News.Az reports, citing Euro News.
“They are continuing with the same left-green policies as before,” Weidel stated, alleging fraud and betrayal of voters’ expectations.
The AfD now holds 151 seats in the Bundestag, doubling its previous parliamentary representation and making it the second-largest party. Despite this, the party remains politically isolated, as all mainstream parties have ruled out cooperation due to AfD’s extremist positions.
Repeated accusations and misleading claims
This is not the first time Weidel has accused Merz of election fraud. Following the February snap election, she posted on X:
“Election fraud on the horizon.”
She later criticized Merz for not closing Germany’s borders, despite no such promise having been made during the campaign. In fact, a video of Merz during the campaign clearly states:
“None of us are talking about border closures. Although that was claimed at times during the election campaign, none of us want to close the borders.”
Rebranding and internal division
At the same weekend meeting, the AfD introduced a new code of conduct and dropped terms like “remigration” from its position papers, a term long associated with mass deportations and far-right rhetoric.
Weidel emphasized a shift toward more relatable economic issues:
“We are focusing very closely on the working population,” she said, highlighting migration control and tax relief as key themes.
Political analysts believe this is an attempt by the AfD to moderate its image and increase its chances of becoming a coalition partner in future governments.
However, internal disagreements remain. Stephan Brandner, the parliamentary director of the AfD group, dismissed the need for change, citing polls that show most AfD supporters want the party to stay as it is.
