Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party proposed a radical overhaul of the European Union, including scrapping direct elections for the European Parliament and reducing the European Commission to an administrative body, according to a policy document obtained by Politico Europe .
The plan, set to be presented by AfD co-leader Alice Weidel in the European Parliament on Wednesday, calls for replacing directly elected MEPs with delegates appointed by national parliaments. It also seeks to strip the Commission of political decision-making powers, leaving it with only administrative tasks, and to replace the EU Court of Justice with an arbitration tribunal for disputes between member states .
The AfD would also push for a significant reduction in the EU budget, a freeze on staffing levels, and the abolition of certain EU agencies. Germany would use its veto power to block EU funding mechanisms if Brussels resists the reforms, the document states. The party further demands exemptions for Germany from EU policies on migration, taxation, social protection, defense, and common borrowing, with potential opt-outs in agriculture, industry, and finance if the EU does not amend its policies .
While the AfD does not initially propose Germany’s exit from the EU or the eurozone, it threatens a national referendum on EU membership if its reform demands are rejected. The party aims to begin implementing the changes in 2029, coinciding with the next European Parliament and German federal elections .
