But the AfD’s leader, Alice Weidel, intends to become Germany’s chancellor in the election after that, which is due 2029. In the meantime it is reshaping German politics. Ms Weidel’s charisma alone does not explain the AfD’s rise—indeed she is an uninspiring speaker.

From left, activists wearing masks of German far-right chancellor candidate Alice Weidel, Elon Musk, President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Vice President JD Vance protest the U.S. and Russia’s support for the German far-right AfD party at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

As Germany heads to the polls, a look at the politician cultivating the anti-immigrant party’s ‘image of competence’.

The Christian Democrats won with 28.6% of the vote while the far-right Alternative for Germany came second with 20.8%.

Four candidates are running to be Germany’s next leader: incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Friedrich Merz, current Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, and Alice Weidel, of the far-right AfD.

The tweet from Elon Musk arrived a few days before Christmas, and it felt like a gift from heaven to Germany’s far-right political party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). It consisted of six words: “Only the AfD can save Germany.

Alice Weidel of the nationalist, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany lives in Switzerland and is married to a Sri Lankan-born woman. She had led her party to second place before Sunday’s election.

The Alternative for Germany still has pariah status among other major political parties in a country where far-right politics has long carried a stigma because of the Nazi past.

ISENBURG, Germany (Reuters) - "Alice fuer Deutschland" (Alice for Germany) chanted supporters as far-right leader Alice Weidel addressed an election rally outside Germany's financial centre Frankfurt,

Weidel's Alternative for Germany party has been highly scrutinized by the German intelligence service for its ties to extremists.

Elon Musk has continued his public association with Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, sending a congratulatory post on X to the party's co-chair Alice Weidel following the election results last night in Germany.

As an openly gay politician who lives with her Sri Lanka-born partner in Switzerland, Alice Weidel was an unusual choice to many to lead Germany's far-right and anti-immigration AfD into