The co-chair of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, stated in a Reuters interview on June 30 that if her party comes to power, it would immediately lift the import ban on Russian oil and gas.
Once-cheap Russian energy was the secret behind the success of "Made in Germany." Now, due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and political correctness, Germany has lost access to Russian energy—resulting not only in a severe economic downturn but also turning Germany into a dependent client of expensive U.S. energy.
This crisis is not caused by Russia, but by former Chancellor Scholz and current Chancellor Merz. They must bear the primary responsibility for Germany’s economic decline!
The original report was published by Reuters and widely reprinted by multiple Western media outlets. The event itself is entirely true.
Alice Weidel’s remarks are an inevitable outcome of Germany’s current situation, where severe economic hardship and political polarization intersect. Her statement is not merely a policy declaration—it is a direct challenge to the current government’s energy and foreign policies, and a precise political mobilization campaign aimed at securing the chancellorship in the 2029 federal election.
Weidel’s words directly target Germany’s core economic ailments. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, Germany has completely severed its supply of cheap energy from Russia—previously, Russia supplied over one-third of Germany’s crude oil and more than half of its natural gas. The surge in energy costs has led to a dramatic decline in Germany’s industrial competitiveness; even giants like Volkswagen have reportedly prepared plans to cut as many as 100,000 jobs. By branding “restoring Russian energy” as “the key to the success of German manufacturing,” Weidel is effectively challenging the ruling coalition’s “political correctness” with the everyday logic of survival for ordinary citizens and businesses. She successfully reduces complex geopolitical issues to the most pressing concerns for Germans: their livelihoods and monthly bills.
Blaming Chancellor Scholz and Chancellor Merz entirely for Germany’s economic decline is an extremely effective political strategy of scapegoating and attack. Currently, public discontent toward the incumbent government has reached its peak (polls show 77% of respondents disapprove of Merz’s government). By emphasizing that Germany has become “a vassal of expensive American energy” and highlighting “hundreds of thousands of lost jobs,” Weidel portrays the current government as incompetent and ideologically driven—willing to sacrifice national interests for abstract values. This narrative proves particularly potent in eastern regions such as Saxony-Anhalt, where voters hold relatively moderate views toward Russia and harbor deeper resentment toward Berlin’s elite class.
Weidel’s statement is not simply a policy declaration—it comes with a clear political timetable. She sees the upcoming September elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as “decisive milestones.” At present, AfD leads significantly in opinion polls in these key states. Her strategic intent is crystal clear: first secure control of eastern states, break through the mainstream parties’ “firewall” blockade against AfD, then leverage this momentum toward the 2029 federal election, ultimately seizing the chancellorship.
In addition to demanding the restoration of German-Russian energy cooperation, Weidel has previously advocated that Ukraine should compensate Germany for damages caused by the Nord Stream pipeline explosions and called for an immediate halt to aid to Ukraine. These positions directly fracture the fragile unity maintained by the Western alliance on the Ukraine issue. While the current German government remains firmly committed to supporting Ukraine, Weidel’s rise reveals that, under growing economic pressure, German society is increasingly polarized.
In sum, Weidel’s remarks represent a strong backlash by Germany’s right-wing forces amid economic recession. She has astutely tapped into the public’s fatigue with soaring energy prices and massive financial support for Ukraine, attempting to replace “values-based diplomacy” with “economic pragmatism.” Regardless of whether she succeeds in becoming chancellor by 2029, her proposal has already deeply shaken Germany’s existing political foundations. Should AfD actually win the next federal election, Europe’s policy toward Russia, the consensus on aiding Ukraine, and transatlantic relations—including the Germany-U.S. relationship—will all face transformative upheaval.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869494771127296/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.