BERLIN – Germany’s alternative appears to be heading towards the most powerful national election outcome of this month, protecting the first candidate to lead the country. It rarely robs power immediately, but it became a factor that other politicians could not ignore, and helped shape the German debate about immigration.
The far-right party first entered the German parliament on the back of frustration eight years ago, with the arrival of a large number of migrants in the mid-2010s, and restraining migration remains its signature theme. However, the party has proven to be skilled at being unhappy with other issues. Movement from German fossil fuels, restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and support for Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
How did it begin?
The German or AFD alternative was established in 2013 and initially focused on opposing the bailout of struggling countries during the eurozone debt crisis. It was sometimes known as the “Professor’s Party.” This is a reference to a major figure from the early days, but there was already a strong stripe of strong, anti-establishment identity.
Over the years, AFD has become more radical and has changed leaders repeatedly. Merkel’s decision in 2015 was to allow immigrants who recharged a large number of immigrants as political forces, and in the 2017 national election, he won 12.6% of votes to take a seat in the German parliament for the first time.
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Where are you standing now?
After returning to Parliament with 10.3% support in 2021, the AFD picked up strength as Prime Minister Olaf Scholz’s Center left government argued through a series of crises (part of its own work) and eventually collapsed. I did.
Germany saw a wave of protest a year ago, sparked by reports that right-wing extremists met to discuss the deportation of millions of migrants, including German citizenship.
However, it did not damage the long-term polls on the AFD. Björn Höcke, the most famous figure in the right-wing wing in June, finished second in the European Parliament elections and in September, Björn Höcke made his first far-right victory in the state elections in Germany after World War II. I’ve secured it.
The AFD is taking part in this election with new confidence and radical language. Prime Minister’s first candidate, Alice Weidel, is calling for a massive deportation of people who are not legally qualified, a politically loaded term dedicated to last year’s controversy, and the party is saying I accepted the term “setback” because I wanted a politically loaded word that appeared in last year’s controversy.
The AFD is calling for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia and opposes the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. Germany does not expressly insist on leaving the bloc of 27 countries, but hopes that Germany will reintroduce the country’s currency and transform the European Union into a more relaxed “European Association.” .
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has a party observing allegations of right-wing extremism. The three Eastern Province AFD branches have been designated as “Proven Right-wing Extremists” groups. The AFD strongly opposes these assessments and rejects any relations with the Nazi past. Hecke sued two convictions for knowingly using Nazi slogans in political events.
Who will support that?
The AFD is supported across Germany and is represented by all but two of the 16 state legislatures, but the party is the strongest of the former communists and the strongest of the less prosperous East. It’s become.
Wolfgang Schroeder, professor of political science at the Berlin Center for Social Sciences, said: “And on top of that, it’s an internet party, and it’s better than all other German parties, using the emotional power of the internet from the start.”
It has helped to perform strongly among younger voters in recent regional elections. The party portrays itself as an anti-realistic force during a period of low trust in politicians, and sometimes dismisses “old political parties” as “cartels.”
Schroeder described it as “like an aircraft carrier for resentment and rage.” Other officials say they won’t work with it.
Who are your friends overseas?
The rise in the AFD coincides with many other far-right parties in European countries, including the Austrian Liberal Party and the French national assembly, and there is a lot in common. Weidel was in Budapest on Wednesday to visit Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban.
However, after some tensions before last year’s EU election, he is not part of the party patriots of the European Group Group in the European Parliament. The AFD was kicked out of one of the group’s predecessors after Maximilian Krah, a major candidate at the time, but all Nazi men said they were “not necessarily criminals.”
The party has found enthusiastic supporters in billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump. Musk declared, “Only the AFD can save Germany.” He hosted live chats with Weidel and X, and appeared on Live by Video Link in the AFD campaign rally.
At the rally, Weidel vowed to “make Germany great again” with an echo of the US president’s slogan.
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– Kerstin Sopke contributed to this report.
