The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) adopted a measure into its draft manifesto on Sunday calling for Germany’s exit from the European Union (EU) if their demands are not met. One of the measures set to be adopted includes a dissolution of the European parliament, the very body the party is campaigning to enter in May.
“We see nation-states as having the exclusive competence to make laws,” the text read, slamming the “751 privileged members” of the current European legislature.
The AfD was founded in 2013 as a euroskeptic party intent on having Germany leave the euro currency, but has since been taken over byanti-immigrant and Islamophobic interests, rising in popularity to become the largest opposition party in the Bundestag.
AfD co-chair Alexander Gauland
AfD counts on Austrian, Italian support
The nationalists were meeting in the city of Riesa, northwest of Dresden, to determine candidates and party positions for this year’s EU elections.
On Saturday, AfD members had been calling for a “an orderly dissolution of the European Union” by 2024 if reform demands were not met. They later softened their stance after leaders advised that such a platform was unlikely to do well in staunchly pro-EU Germany.
“We don’t need to abolish the EU, but bring it back to its sensible core,” said party co-chair Alexander Gauland, adding that other ethno-nationalist parties like Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) and Italy’s Lega (League) were “partners” and would support them. Both of the latter far-right parties are part of the ruing coalitions in Vienna and Rome.
The final wording of the manifesto will be voted on for approval later on Sunday.
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