Political scientist Oliver Lembcke from Bochum suggests that the actual internal power held by AfD leader Alice Weidel is significantly more limited than her public image implies. Speaking to the “Handelsblatt”, Lembcke stressed the need to distinguish between external perception and internal party influence. While Weidel is undoubtedly the defining public face of the AfD, she struggles within the party structure to permanently discipline its more nationalistic faction.
Lembcke cited the remarks of Thuringian AfD leader Björn Höcke, who allegedly referred to West Germans as “undeutsch,” as a recent example. Such actions demonstrate that the more radical wing of the party headquarters can regularly defy Weidel. For the party’s ethno-nationalist element, he views Weidel primarily as a welcome bourgeois façade, rather than a political leader in itself.
Regarding the economy, the political analyst sees Weidel as potentially helpful in opening doors. Lembcke stated that Weidel is likely to facilitate access to parts of the economy for the AfD, albeit only to a certain extent. Her platform is gaining particular interest among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, skepticism prevails among large corporations and associations. This hesitation stems from concerns regarding political stability and the potential repercussions of a restrictive migration policy on the skilled labor market.
