AfD nominates former German footballer Thomas Berthold for presidency

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has nominated 62-year-old former German national football player Thomas Berthold for the presidency. AfD co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla announced the nomination through social media. The decision comes as Germany prepares for the presidential election scheduled for January 30, 2027.

Berthold's career and background

Thomas Berthold is a former central defender who earned 62 caps for the German national team. He was a member of the 1990 FIFA World Cup winning squad. During his professional club career, Berthold played for several prominent teams, including Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart, AS Roma, Verona, Adanaspor, and Fortuna Düsseldorf. He recorded 381 matches played in the Bundesliga.

The AfD co-chairs stated that they chose Thomas Berthold because he is a man from the middle of society who can represent all Germans. Tino Chrupalla said that Germany needs a non-partisan patriotic president to establish a new sense of "us." Thomas Berthold stated that he will participate in the elections as an independent candidate and that his goal is to be President for all citizens and unite a divided society. Thomas Berthold also said that his trust in the political leadership of the country is below zero.

In 2020, Thomas Berthold criticized COVID-19 restrictions during a demonstration in Stuttgart.

Political landscape and candidates

The current President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is serving his second term and cannot run for a third term. The German President holds representative functions, while the government led by the Chancellor holds real power. The German presidential election is conducted by the Federal Convention, which consists of members of the Bundestag and an equal number of delegates from the federal states. The Federal Convention includes a total of 1,260 delegates.

The CDU/CSU bloc, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has nominated Ilse Aigner, the President of the Bavarian Parliament, as their joint candidate. The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and the Greens have expressed support for the candidacy of Ilse Aigner.

The AfD has recently seen significant political movement, including a victory in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in September 2025. Additionally, in April 2026, the AfD parliamentary group submitted a bill to the Bundestag for the direct election of the President by the people.

Glossary

• Alternative for Germany (AfD) — The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a political party. It has nominated Thomas Berthold for the presidency.
• Stuttgart — Stuttgart is a location in Germany. It is an area that receives water from the Danube.
• Bayern Munich — Bayern Munich is a football team. It moved to support or protect its members during the purge of Jews from organizations.
• VfB Stuttgart — VfB Stuttgart is a football team.