Alice Elisabeth Weidel is a German politician and has been the Leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag since October 2017. She has been a member of the Bundestag since the 2017 federal election during which she was the AfD's lead candidate together with Alexander Gauland. Since November 30, 2019, she has been the deputy federal spokeswoman for her party and, since February 2020, chairwoman of the AfD state association in Baden-Württemberg.
Weidel joined the Alternative for Germany in October 2013. According to Weidel, she was first attracted to the party due to her opposition to the Euro. She was elected to the federal executive committee of the AfD in June 2015. In April 2017 she was elected co-Lead Candidate of the party. She is the first lesbian to serve as a lead candidate of her party.
Political positions
Religion
Weidel has stated that AfD is "the only Christian party that still exists" in Germany.
Immigration
Weidel has criticized the immigration policies of Angela Merkel, stating that "the country will be destroyed through this immigration policy. Donald Trump said that Merkel is insane and I absolutely agree with that. It is a completely nonsensical form of politics that is being followed here". She has called for the German government to invest in "special economic zones" in the Middle East to encourage educated and skilled persons to remain in their home countries and avoid the possibility of brain drain, but also says she supports a "Canadian-style system" which would privilege skilled, over unskilled, immigrants.
Weidel supports continued German membership in the European Union; however, she has called for economically weak states, such as Greece, to leave. And, though supporting the EU, she also believes Germany should withdraw from the Euro single currency.
LGBT issues
Weidel has stated her opposition to discussion of sexuality prior to puberty saying that "I don’t want anyone with their gender idiocy or their early sexualisation classes coming near my children". She has also expressed her opposition to legalization of same-sex marriage, stating that she supports protection of the "traditional family" while also supporting "other lifestyles". She has said she supports civil partnership for gay and lesbian couples, noting she is a lesbian herself.
In April 2017, Weidel railed against political correctness, claiming that it belonged in the "dustbin of history". In response, on 27 April, TV presenterChristian Ehring of the satire program extra 3 addressed this, saying "That’s right! Let’s put an end to political correctness. The Nazi slut is right. Was this incorrect enough? I hope so!" Weidel sued the channel seeking to forbid re-airing of the program, and on 17 May the Hamburg District Court ruled against her, stating that a public figure must stand against exaggerated criticism. Weidel disagreed with the decision and promised to bring it to the Oberlandesgericht. As of September 2017, no further action had taken place.
Illegal immigration incident
A September 2017 report by Die Zeit claimed that Weidel had illegally hired a Syrian refugee to do housework at her home in Switzerland. The report also alleged that the asylum seeker did not have a written work contract, nor were there invoices for her work. Weidel responded in a tweet that the Die Zeit report was “fake news” and “false" and Weidel’s lawyer stated that Weidel had a Syrian stay at her home as a guest but not as a worker.
Personal life
Weidel is in a relationship with a female Swiss film producer, who lives in Einsiedeln, Schwyz, Switzerland. Weidel primarily lives in Berlin, but lives part-time in Einsiedeln. They have two adopted children.
Selected publications
Das Rentensystem der Volksrepublik China. Reformoptionen aus ordnungstheoretischer Sicht zur Erhöhung der Risikoresistenz. Verlag P.C.O., Bayreuth 2011,.
