Dawn of ‘Dexit’? German far-right AfD party to campaign on leaving EU
- Members at a party conference also voted for a call to abolish the European Parliament, which AfD candidates will be campaigning to join in spring
German far-right party AfD voted on Sunday to campaign for Berlin’s exit from the EU in the upcoming European Parliament elections if its demand for reforms within the bloc are not met.
The decision marks the first time any party has called for “Dexit” – a German departure from the EU in the mould of Brexit.
If the EU is not reshaped in line with the party’s ideas “in an appropriate time frame”, Germany must leave the bloc, according to the draft manifesto agreed by delegates at a party congress in eastern Saxony state.
Congress attendees also voted through a call to abolish the European Parliament – the same Brussels body the AfD candidates will be campaigning to join this spring.
“We see nation-states as having the exclusive competence to make laws,” the text read, blasting the “751 privileged members” of the present European house.