Ilse Aigner Rejects Invitation to Address AfD Parliamentary Group

Ilse Aigner, the candidate for German Federal President, has declined an invitation to present her platform to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) parliamentary group in the Bundestag. The chief of staff for the Bavarian State Parliament President cited previous critical remarks by AfD deputy parliamentary leader Beatrix von Storch as the reason for the refusal, according to reporting by Pioneer journalist Johann Paetzold on X. Von Storch had publicly described Aigner's nomination as a sign of political weakness.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel had extended a formal invitation for Aigner to address the party's Bundestag lawmakers ahead of the vote. Weidel stated that such a presentation was a matter of democratic culture and political courtesy toward the party's voters, given that the AfD forms the second-largest faction in the Bundestag. Weidel simultaneously renewed her party's criticism of Aigner, calling her unsuitable for the head of state role.

It is standard practice in German politics for presidential candidates to meet with parliamentary groups across party lines before an election. However, the AfD has been largely excluded from cross-party consultations on key state appointments under the informal exclusion policy known as the firewall. Aigner is scheduled to appear before the parliamentary groups of the CDU/CSU, the Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens on Tuesday.

The CDU federal executive committee formally endorsed Aigner on Monday following a proposal by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. CSU chairman Markus Söder had advocated Aigner's candidacy for several months prior to the decision. Merz had hesitated for a long period before backing her nomination after the CDU failed to agree on a candidate from its own ranks.

Aigner holds a strong position heading into the election, as the CDU/CSU and SPD command a clear joint majority in the Federal Assembly, with additional support pledged by the Greens. The election to determine the successor to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is scheduled for January 30, 2027. A victory would make Aigner the first female head of state in German history and the first representative of the CSU to hold the presidency.

Written by Freya Stensrud freya.stensrud@alpineweekly.com