The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) plans to campaign calling for the country to leave the European Union, the Paris climate agreement and the euro ahead of early elections expected in February.
The policy is set out in the AfD’s draft party platform, which will be discussed and voted on by AfD members at a national party conference from January 11 to 12.
The 85-page document also calls for a tightening of abortion laws, an end to economic sanctions on Russia and the repair and recommissioning of the Nord Stream pipelines, which brought natural gas from Russia to Germany.
Regarding the euro, the draft program states that Germany must “end the misleading path of permanent bailouts through the reintroduction of a national currency.”
The newspaper also states: “We believe it is necessary for Germany to leave the European Union and establish a new European community.”
The AfD draft platform accused the European Union of having vigorously pursued its transformation into a “superstate in the planned economy” in recent years.
The AfD’s manifesto ahead of June’s European Parliament elections contained similar language but did not explicitly call for Germany to leave the EU.
The draft also calls for a withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The “supposed scientific consensus” on man-made climate change is politically constructed, the draft claims.
There is no reason to limit the use of coal, natural gas and oil, humans cannot protect the climate and carbon dioxide – which, according to gas scientists, is most responsible for climate warming – is given a positive role in the draft programme, which states that it is “an engine of increased global plant growth, thus promoting world nutrition.”
Under the heading ‘welcoming culture for children’, the AfD advocates legal restrictions on abortions in the draft.
“When carefully weighing up interests, abortion must remain the absolute exception, for example for criminological or medical indications,” it says.
It is also proposed that pregnant women should be required to view ultrasound images of the child during counseling sessions when considering an abortion, “so that they are aware of the child’s stage of development.”
Abortions are currently illegal under Article 218 of the German Criminal Code, but are possible in practice and not punishable during the first twelve weeks if the woman receives prior advice.
An abortion also remains unpunished if there are medical reasons or if it is performed because of rape.
The possible legalization of abortion under German law has been the subject of political debate for years.
