"Alice Weidel warns that higher taxes lead to a downward spiral"
In the midst of Germany's most severe economic crisis to date, Dr. Alice Weidel, the Federal spokeswoman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), has expressed her opposition to additional tax increases. Weidel argues that such measures would burden businesses and citizens, hindering economic recovery and investment.
Weidel's stance aligns with the AfD's broader critique of government policies that increase fiscal pressure. The party often frames such policies as detrimental to economic competitiveness and job creation. They also tend to highlight the cost of immigration policies as drivers of economic strain, suggesting that tax increases unfairly penalize German taxpayers rather than addressing underlying structural issues in fiscal policy.
Despite a lack of direct quotes from her August 2025 statements on tax increases, the context provided shows that Weidel and the AfD generally oppose tax hikes during crises. Instead, they promote policies that encourage investment and criticize expansive government spending or tax burdens as counterproductive to economic health.
The economic crisis has led to significant challenges, including economic downturns and the need for growth stimulation. However, Weidel contends that raising taxes would exacerbate these problems rather than solve them. This position has sparked politically charged debates, with her public appearances facing disruptions.
The Union, Germany's ruling party, has already broken its promise to adhere to the debt brake. Last year, total tax revenues of all public hands in Germany amounted to almost a trillion euros. Yet, the state is taking on unprecedented levels of debt, a situation that Weidel believes is a sign of moving towards socialism.
Germany's problem is not revenue but expenditure. Key industries are experiencing catastrophic profit losses, job cuts, and production relocation abroad. Citizens and businesses are facing inflation, high taxes, energy price hikes, rampant bureaucracy, and 'climate' central planning.
The state's core tasks include internal and external security, care for the needy, maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure, public order, and ensuring a framework for free exchange of information, goods, and services. Weidel's argument suggests that the state should focus on these tasks, rather than increasing taxes during a crisis.
[1] AfD - Alternative for Germany, August 2025. [2] Dr. Alice Weidel, Federal spokeswoman of the Alternative for Germany. [3] The photo used is of Dr. Alice Weidel, Federal spokeswoman of the Alternative for Germany (c) AfD. [4] The Federal Republic of Germany. [5] Economic crisis in Germany.
- Dr. Alice Weidel, the Federal spokeswoman of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), consistently opposes tax increases during economic crises, believing they exacerbate problems instead of solving them.
- The AfD often criticizes government policies that increase fiscal pressure, arguing that such measures are counterproductive to economic health, harming investment, competitiveness, and job creation.
