New polling data shows massive support for the AfD’s Alice Weidel ahead of the German elections tomorrow, the Express can reveal.
On Sunday, the country’s residents will vote in a pivotal election in which Ms Weidel’s party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), is tipped to come in second.
A snap election was called at the end of last year by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), when his coalition Government fell apart.
New polling by the Democracy Institute for the Daily Express shows AfD’s Ms Weidel as the front-runner for Chancellor preference as she gathers key support at the last minute.
Of the 1,600 likely German voters surveyed between February 18 and 20, 30% said they would prefer Ms Weidel as the Chancellor. Friedrich Merz ranked second with 25% and Olaf Scholz with 18%. Robert Habeck garnered 17% of the support, while Sahra Wagenknecht placed last with 10%.
However, the German system makes it difficult for a single party to win enough seats to form a Government alone. This means a coalition will need to be formed of parties holding more than 50% of the seats in the Bundestag.
Despite support for Ms Weidel, the AfD came in as the second party people will vote for, with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) topping the poll. When asked, “Which party will you vote for in Sunday’s Bundestag election?” 28% of respondents said CDU/CSU, 24% said AfD and 15% opted for the SPD.
The final results may not be announced for several days after the February 23 vote. However, exit polls expected to be shared at around 5pm GMT (6pm local time) in the evening are expected to be fairly reliable.
Out of the sampled voters, 87% know who they will be voting for ahead of the election, with 13% remaining undecided. Out of those still unsure, a quarter (25%) say that they will decide on the day, with nearly half (45%) choosing the night before.
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance gave a provocative speech at the Munich Security Conference, criticising European governments for censoring free speech, interfering in elections, and over-regulating new technologies.
Some critics of Vice President Vance’s speech think his remarks on free speech and election interference were an indirect endorsement of AfD, yet some dispute this. Of those surveyed, 16% are now more likely to vote for AfD.