Who is Alice Weidel, the unlikely leader of Germany’s far-right AfD party?

The party is now the second largest in the country, having doubled its vote share in just four years

Listen | 25:06
Alice Weidel has been described as the “respectable” and more moderate face of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Alice Weidel has been described as the “respectable” and more moderate face of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

She’s been described as the politician of contradictions.

Alice Weidel is the leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party but is married to a Sri-Lankan born woman.

A gay woman, she has two children with her partner, but is part of a political party which defines family as a father and mother raising children.

She’s a German nationalist who spends most of her time living in a small town in central Switzerland.

READ MORE

She has been described as the “respectable” and more moderate face of party that has been linked to neo-Nazis and plots to overthrow the German state.

While the AfD didn’t win Germany’s federal election last weekend, the party is now the second largest in the country, having doubled its vote share in just four years.

How did Weidel break the AfD into Germany’s mainstream political area and rally the support needed to secure more than 20 per cent of the vote in last weekend’s election?

And what is it about this Swiss-based ex-banker that appeals to the German people?

Today, on In the News, who is Alice Weidel, the unlikely queen of Germany’s far right party?

Presented by Sorcha Pollak, produced by Suzanne Brennan.

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak

Sorcha Pollak is an Irish Times reporter specialising in immigration issues and cohost of the In the News podcast