On October 21, 2026, Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel is scheduled to present a comprehensive strategy paper at the European Parliament aimed at drastically scaling back the power and budget of the European Union.

AfD’s Alice Weidel to unveil plan to downsize the EU

On October 21, 2026, Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel is scheduled to present a comprehensive strategy paper at the European Parliament aimed at drastically scaling back the power and budget of the European Union.

The proposal, titled "Sovereign Nations, Shared Europe" (Souveräne Nationen, gemeinsames Europa), marks a strategic modification of the far-right party's founding anti-EU roots. Instead of an immediate "Dexit" (Germany's exit from the EU), the plan outlines aggressive structural reforms to downsize the bloc from within.

Core Elements of the AfD Reform Plan

According to leaked details and reports published on October 20, 2026, the strategy document outlines several major demands:

• Abolishing European Parliament Elections: The party aims to end direct elections to the European Parliament, seeking instead to weaken the European Commission and return foundational legislative powers back to national governments.
• Cutting and Capping the EU Budget: The plan calls for freezing EU staff hiring, shutting down numerous EU agencies, and using Germany's veto power to eliminate EU revenues derived from plastic taxes and Value Added Tax (VAT).
• National Opt-Outs for Berlin: The AfD demands immediate exemptions for Germany from standard EU regulations governing migration, social policy, defense, taxation, and joint borrowing.
• Shifting Power in the ECB: The plan advocates for giving larger Eurozone economies, like Germany, greater voting weight within the European Central Bank (ECB) while firmly opposing the introduction of a digital euro.

The Veto Threat and Referendum Ultimatum

To force Brussels into accepting these sweeping treaty renegotiations, Weidel proposes using Germany's legislative veto as political leverage. The AfD states that if the EU blocks these reforms, the party will use its veto power to halt Berlin's contributions to the common EU budget and paralyze future EU financing legislation.

The strategy paper sets 2029—the year of the next federal and European elections—as the target timeline to begin implementing these measures. If Brussels completely refuses to restructure, the AfD maintains that it will ultimately put the question of Germany’s EU membership to a public referendum.

The policy shift is pending formal approval at an AfD party convention scheduled for next year.