Sun Feb 23 09:40:00 UTC 2025: ## AfD’s Weidel: “Total Border Closure” and Mass Repatriations

**Berlin, Germany** – Alice Weidel, top candidate for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, is poised to lead the party to a record-breaking election result, potentially securing second place with around 20% of the vote. Weidel’s campaign has been marked by her calls for a “total closing of Germany’s borders” and “large-scale repatriations” of irregular immigrants.

This stance, alongside her outspoken anti-immigration, anti-Islam, and anti-multiculturalism rhetoric, has garnered both significant support and widespread criticism. Weidel’s openly gay identity and relationship with her Sri Lankan-born partner have presented a complex image, allowing the AfD to deflect accusations of homophobia while simultaneously pursuing a hardline anti-immigration agenda.

Despite her unconventional profile for a leader of a far-right party, Weidel has cultivated high-profile support from figures such as Elon Musk and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who recently praised her as “the future of Germany.” Her increased visibility, including appearances on national television and a livestream with Musk, has contributed to the normalization of the AfD in the eyes of some, a development noted by Der Spiegel magazine.

However, critics argue that Weidel serves as a “fig leaf” for the party, masking its extremist tendencies. While the AfD has been labelled as right-wing extremist by German security services, Weidel’s presence allows them to project a more moderate image. This strategy, however, hasn’t stopped Weidel from advocating for the party’s most controversial policies, including border closures and mass deportations, at party conferences.

Weidel’s campaign highlights the shifting political landscape in Germany and the growing influence of the far-right. Her success, despite her openly gay identity, raises questions about the evolving strategies and tactics employed by far-right parties to gain broader acceptance and appeal. The upcoming election results will determine the full extent of Weidel’s impact on German politics.

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