The Alternative for Germany (AfD) recently announced that it has included Bitcoin in its program for the 2025 federal election. The AfD is the first major German party to speak out clearly in favor of promoting and protecting cryptocurrency.
Peter Boehringer, deputy federal spokesman for the party and avowed supporter of Bitcoin, explained: “The AfD has clearly supported the idea and system of Bitcoin since its founding.” The freedom of Bitcoin is particularly important to the party, which is why it rejects any excessive use Crypto regulations or strictly rejects any tightening of taxation.
Bitcoin as part of the economic policy agenda
According to the AfD reflects Bitcoin an alternative to the existing monetary systems. The party sees this as non-inflatable money that functions independently of central institutions. Boehringer emphasized: “Bitcoin stands for economic freedom and sovereignty.”
In contrast to other political parties in Germany, which either ignore or only hesitantly support Bitcoin, the AfD is clearly on the side of the proponents. The party calls for extensive freedom of regulation, but rejects government subsidies for the Bitcoin sector. These are not compatible with the basic ideas of cryptocurrency, says Boehringer.
“However, freedom also means that Bitcoin must independently establish itself in the market as good money without further political protection. Achieving this is not a primarily political task, but rather an effort by the community, which we support with a clear laissez-faire policy! We are therefore explicitly calling for extensive freedom from regulation – but no subsidization of BTC, which should be self-evident for the libertarian BTC community and in keeping with Satoshi Nakamoto’s ideal.” – Peter Boehringer
Signal to voters and entrepreneurs
Including Bitcoin in the election manifesto could be a strategic step to appeal to technology-savvy voters and entrepreneurs. Especially in times of increasing state control and inflation Many see Bitcoin as a way to maintain financial independence.
It remains to be seen whether this attitude will bring the AfD additional support from voters. What is certain, however, is that Bitcoin is becoming increasingly important as a topic in German politics – and the AfD has clearly positioned itself here.
This is how other parties look at Bitcoin
The positions of the German parties on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies vary significantly, but overall are mostly negative:
SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany): The SPD rejects private digital currencies, including stablecoins. Terms such as “Bitcoin” or “cryptocurrency” were not mentioned in their election program for the 2021 federal election.
CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union): The Union shows a cautious attitude towards Bitcoin. It emphasizes the need for strict regulation to minimize risks such as money laundering and tax evasion. At the same time, it recognizes the potential of blockchain technology and supports the development of a digital euro.
Alliance 90/The Greens: The Greens are committed to comprehensive regulation of cryptocurrencies to counter illegal activities and are also calling for tax increases. They oppose private currencies and demand strict identity controls and transaction tracking. They also support the introduction of a digital euro.
FDP (Free Democratic Party): The FDP supports the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as an expression of digital sovereignty. She advocates for innovation-friendly regulation that promotes start-ups and emphasizes the importance of transparent and fair taxation.
The Left: The Left advocates a ban on energy-intensive cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, particularly due to their high energy consumption. It emphasizes the state’s monetary monopoly and generally shows a critical attitude towards cryptocurrencies.