BERLIN, June 30. /TASS/. Alice Weidel, co-chairwoman of "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) party, is calling for lifting the boycott of Russian oil and gas, describing the energy resources from Russia as a key to success of German economy.
"Low-cost energy from Russia was the secret of the success of 'Made in Germany.' We need it back. The loss of this energy has pushed us back years. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost. It has made us dependent on the United States, which sells us energy at far higher prices," she told Reuters.
As the agency recalls, until 2022 Russia accounted for one-third of oil imports to Germany as well as more than half of gas imports. After the introduction of sanctions and the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, Germany faced an energy crisis. The economy "remains in the doldrums,"not showing steady growth. Weidel's comment highlights "the potential fragility of the Western alliance, underpinning support for Ukraine," the agency reports.
In the autumn, federal state elections will be held in two key eastern German states, Saxony Anhalt and Mecklenburg Vorpommern. The AfD is leading in polls there. If the party manages to enter the government by vote, it may be a step towards trying to win national elections that are due by spring 2029.
"If we win in Saxony-Anhalt, then Mecklenburg Vorpommern will probably follow. I can see the AfD in the chancellery either by the next elections or the ones after," Weidel said.