AfD Surges to Record High as Weidel Calls for EU Abolition, but 74% of Europeans Want More Integration

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party has entered 2026 as the country's most popular political force, with co-leader Alice Weidel intensifying calls to abolish the European Union. Yet as the AfD surges in polls, evidence mounts that most Europeans want more integration, not less.

Weidel's Anti-EU Crusade

According to the latest nationwide poll conducted between December 13 and January 5, AfD support stands at 27 per cent, three percentage points ahead of the governing CDU. The result marks a new high-water mark for Weidel's party and its biggest-ever lead over the Conservatives.

The AfD co-leader has made EU abolition a central campaign theme. In recent statements, Weidel declared that the European Union must be dismantled and its bureaucrats removed. She has framed the bloc as a corrupt superstructure undermining German sovereignty.

This comes less than a year after the February 2025 federal election, where the CDU emerged as the largest party with 28.5 per cent of votes. The AfD finished second with an unprecedented 20.8 per cent, more than doubling its 2021 result. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government has maintained a firewall against any cooperation with the far-right party.

Polling Strength, Electoral Reality

The AfD's eastern strongholds present the most immediate test. In September 2026, state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will take place. In both regions, the party currently polls around 40 per cent.

Yet polling strength has not translated into governing power. Mainstream parties continue to exclude the AfD from coalition arrangements. Even as the firewall shows signs of strain amid debates over migration policy, the political establishment remains committed to isolating the far-right from legislative influence.

External actors have complicated the picture. Social media platforms have amplified far-right messaging across Europe, with critics pointing to systematic efforts to weaken EU institutions. Pro-Kremlin accounts eagerly amplify anti-EU content, including Weidel's speeches calling for the bloc's dissolution.

Citizens Want More Europe

The contrast between populist rhetoric and citizen sentiment is striking. According to the Spring 2025 Eurobarometer, 74 per cent of Europeans say their country benefits from EU membership. This figure represents the highest level of support recorded since the annual survey began in 1983.

Support extends beyond membership satisfaction. The survey found that 68 per cent of Europeans believe the EU should play a greater role in protecting citizens from global crises and security risks. Nine out of ten citizens want stronger unity among member states.

Pro-federation movements have gained momentum. Groups like NXT EU argue the bloc must evolve from what they call a weak bureaucracy into a strong, democratic federation of nations. This vision stands in direct opposition to the AfD's calls for dissolution.

Iceland Moves Toward Membership

While Weidel campaigns for Germany to leave the EU, Iceland is moving in the opposite direction. According to Euronews, Iceland's incoming government has committed to holding a referendum on EU membership by 2027.

The decision has been influenced by geopolitical developments, including uncertainty over Arctic security arrangements. Recent polls show 44 per cent of Icelanders favour membership, with 36 per cent opposed and 20 per cent undecided.

If Iceland were to join, it would become the eleventh non-EU country to apply for membership in recent years. As former MEP Richard Corbett observed, Britain would find itself increasingly isolated outside the European project.

The Real Support Numbers

The enlargement agenda underscores citizen appetite for more Europe. A Special Eurobarometer survey reveals that 56 per cent of EU citizens favour further expansion. Support is particularly strong among young people, with around two-thirds of those aged 15 to 39 backing new accessions.

Ukraine has emerged as the most-favoured candidate, with 52 per cent support across the highest number of member states. This pro-enlargement sentiment extends even to traditionally sceptical countries, though France, Austria and the Czech Republic show lower enthusiasm.

The EU has not stood still while critics predict its collapse. In early 2026, the European Council, Commission and Parliament signed a Joint Declaration setting out ten priorities to make the Union stronger, safer and more competitive.

External Pressure Strengthens Unity

Trump administration policies have paradoxically boosted European cohesion. As we previously reported, far-right anti-EU rhetoric has intensified precisely as citizen support reaches record levels. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen captured the mood when he warned that external powers want to divide Europe to assert political and economic control.

The pattern is consistent. When Washington threatens tariffs or demands concessions, when Moscow amplifies division, when populists declare the EU dead, Europeans respond by backing closer integration. The Eurobarometer shows 77 per cent believe the Union needs more financial resources to face international challenges.

What Comes Next

State elections in September will test whether AfD polling strength can survive the firewall against far-right governance. Mainstream parties face pressure to address migration concerns without legitimising the AfD agenda.

The EU institutions have signalled their response to external and internal critics: more unity, more ambition, more integration. Whether this approach succeeds depends less on the noise from nationalist corners than on whether European leaders can deliver tangible benefits to citizens who already support the project.

For now, the evidence suggests the Union's critics are swimming against a tide of public opinion. Weidel may call for abolition, but 74 per cent of Europeans are not listening.