The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will reopen Russia’s Nord Stream gas pipeline if it comes to power, AfD chancellor candidate Alice Weidel said. “We will put Nord Stream back into operation, you can be sure of that,” she said, speaking at a federal congress, Welt reported. Weidel also announced that the government under her leadership would “tear down all windmills,” which she called “shameful,” and put nuclear power plants back on line – Germany will finally abandon the use of nuclear power plants in 2023.
Earlier, AfD co-chairman Tino Hrupalla announced the need to restore Nord Stream, noting that the pipelines were blown up by “opponents of Germany’s energy independence.” He called to investigate the case and punish all those responsible. The gas pipeline explosions took place on September 26, 2022, in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Only one of the two strings of Nord Stream-2 survived, while Nord Stream-1 completely failed. Both pipelines were out of operation at that time: the first one was under scheduled repair, and the second one was never launched due to the Kremlin’s recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk “People’s Republics”.
Early parliamentary elections in Germany will go ahead on February 23. Weidel’s rivals are incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party, Christian Democratic Union leader Friedrich Merz and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck of the Union of 90/Greens.
According to the Associated Press, opinion polls show that so far the CDU is in the lead: the party is supported by 30% of citizens. The AfD is in second place with 20%. 17% are ready to vote for the SPD.
