Berlin: On Saturday, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) nominated its co-leader Alice Weidel as its first-ever candidate for chancellor, marking a significant moment in the party's 11-year history as it sets its sights on power ahead of the snap election scheduled for February.

While the AfD is unlikely to form a governing coalition in the immediate future, as other political parties have ruled out cooperation with it, the party's rise in opinion polls — second only to the main opposition conservatives — is pressuring the conservative bloc to reconsider its stance on a potential right-wing coalition. This pressure is particularly strong due to the declining influence of their traditional ally, the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP).

“We are the second-largest political force in national polls, and from this, we assert our claim to govern. We want to do better, we want to push Germany forward, and we want to see our country back at the top of the world,” Weidel declared during a press conference in Berlin, where she stood before two large German flags. She added, “Voters clearly want a coalition between conservatives and the AfD.”

Across Europe, far-right parties have gained momentum in recent years, achieving power in nations like Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Finland. Nominating a chancellor candidate could provide the AfD with more media exposure, particularly by enabling them to participate in election debates, according to political scientist Hans Vorlaender from Dresden's Technical University.

Once regarded primarily as a protest party, the AfD is now working to present itself as a “normal party,” says Stefan Marschall, a political scientist at the University of Düsseldorf. Weidel, 45, has co-led the AfD since 2022. Her profile is unconventional for a far-right, male-dominated party that champions anti-immigration policies and traditional family values. She is raising two sons with her Sri Lankan-born Swiss partner and has a PhD in economics from China, where she also speaks fluent Mandarin. Prior to politics, Weidel worked for Goldman Sachs, Allianz Global Investors, and as a business consultant.

Her distinctive background is seen as an asset by political analysts, who believe she could appeal to more moderate Germans who typically avoid far-right parties. In recent years, the AfD has capitalized on concerns about immigration, the Ukraine conflict, the perceived crisis in Germany's economic model, and frustration with the ruling coalition, which fractured last month.

“We are living through one of the worst crises in Germany’s history,” Weidel said, vowing to lead the country toward recovery with the AfD's vision.

The party’s key policy proposals include sharply reducing immigration, particularly from Muslim-majority countries, restarting nuclear power plants, leaving the European Union unless it undergoes major reforms, and halting arms supplies to Ukraine. Despite facing allegations of anti-democratic ambitions, the AfD has gained credibility among voters for openly addressing controversial issues before mainstream parties did.

In September, the AfD triumphed in two state elections, despite widespread protests against the party and scandals involving controversial statements, including a senior figure's remark about the SS, the Nazis’ paramilitary wing, suggesting not all members were criminals.

Recent polls place the AfD at 17%, behind the conservatives at 33%, but ahead of the SPD at 15% and the Greens at 14%. While the conservatives, SPD, and Greens all have chancellor candidates, the AfD's membership has surged by 50% over the past year, reaching about 50,600, although this remains a small fraction compared to the membership of Germany's larger parties like the CDU/CSU and SPD.