AfD Considers Softening EU Exit Stance

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is considering a major shift in its stance on the European Union and the euro, according to a strategy paper reviewed by Reuters. The document, first reported by Bild newspaper, suggests moving away from the party’s traditional call for Germany to leave the EU and the eurozone. Instead, it proposes a fundamental reform of the bloc and the currency, with a referendum on membership only if those efforts fail.

The paper envisions transforming the EU into a looser alliance of sovereign nations, reducing Brussels’ influence over domestic policies like migration, EU finances, and social policy. It was produced by AfD lawmakers from various parliamentary levels and discussed at a meeting last month. Any changes to the party’s decade-old policy platform would require approval at a convention next year.

Peter Boehringer, the AfD’s parliamentary spokesman on European affairs and a longtime critic of the euro, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The AfD has gained support by campaigning against migration and aims to enter the federal government by 2029. Despite its success, mainstream German parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD, which the domestic intelligence agency has labeled as 'right-wing extremist,' a claim the party rejects.

Party co-leader Alice Weidel described the euro as a 'soft currency' in an interview with broadcaster ZDF in August but did not explicitly call for Germany to quit the currency.