Frauke Petry decided not to run as the party's main candidate in the 2017 federal election. This was a consequence of the internal power struggle within the party. The party chose Alexander Gauland, a strong conservative and former member of the CDU, to lead the party in the elections. Alice Weidel, who is seen as being more moderate, was elected as his running mate. The party's platform was mainly to close the borders to asylum seekers, end sanctions on Russia and leave the European Union if Germany's national sovereignty isn't restored. After the election, the party received 5.8 million votes, winning 94 seats in the Bundestag. This is the first time the party has held seats in the Bundestag.