German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil has described the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as holding a "terrible worldview" while crediting the party with political passion, according to WELT. The remark was reported on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
Heil's comment separates his assessment of the party's positions from his view of its energy as a political force. WELT reported his statement but did not provide further context on where or when he made it.
The remark comes as Heil is seeking the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). According to Tagesspiegel, Heil has said he wants to become SPD chief and is setting conditions for a run, while calling for a "clear course for a solidarity-based performance society." RP Online reported that Klingbeil, Schwesig and Heil have all commented on the succession to Bärbel Bas. tagesschau.de framed the wider question as who the SPD wants to go where with, and a Presseportal commentary carried by "nd.DerTag" described the contest as a social democratic courtship battle.
Taken together, the coverage places Heil's AfD remark within an internal SPD debate over direction and leadership rather than as a standalone statement.
What to watch next: whether Heil formally declares his candidacy and how his conditions shape the SPD leadership race.
