In Budapest, German far-right leader lauds Orbán’s Hungary as ‘model’

The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest on Wednesday, less than two weeks before Germany’s parliamentary election.

“Hungary is the bulwark against illegal migration,” said Alice Weidel at a press conference with Orbán, a right-wing nationalist, in the Hungarian capital.

Weidel – the AfD’s candidate for chancellor – called Hungary a symbol of reason, sovereignty, independence and freedom of opinion.

She promised to “follow the path of Hungary, our great model,” if her far-right party enters the German government following the election.

The prospect is unlikely as all mainstream German parties have ruled out cooperating with the AfD, which is polling in second place at around 20% of the vote.

In a post on X, Orbán called Weidel the “future of Germany” and said it “was an honour to welcome” her to Budapest.

The AfD – which is under investigation by domestic intelligence services as a suspected right-wing extremist group – has long emphasized its proximity to Orbán’s right-wing populist positions and anti-EU policies.

Last year, Weidel said she had great admiration for the Hungarian prime minister, as well as for the leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl.

In the press conference on Wednesday, Weidel said that Germany has become weak, criticizing the government’s policies on migration and energy and calling for the EU’s authority to be limited.