Germany's AfD Party

https://www.thelocal.de/20170815/far-right-afd-set-to-become-third-largest-party-in-german-parliament-poll-finds

[A] poll published by INSA and Bild on Tuesday found that the far-right AfD are on course to win 10% of the vote at the September 24th vote. That would put them in third place behind the Social Democrats (SPD) on 25% and Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) on 37%.

The far-right party, who were set up in 2013 and have recently built popularity on their staunch criticism of Merkel’s refugee policies, are only just ahead of the competition, though. The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to win 9% of the vote, as are Die Linke (The Left Party), INSA predicts. The Green party meanwhile lags behind on 7%.

If the AfD were to become the third largest party in the Bundestag it would act as a lightning bolt striking German politics, where conservative votes have been hoovered up by the CDU and their Bavarian sister party the CSU throughout the postwar period. The AfD have caused public outrage on several occasions, with leaders being accused of anti-Semitism, racism and even Nazi sympathies based on comments they have made in public and private.

But Merkel’s decision to open the country's borders to refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries proved unpopular with many conservative voters. Meanwhile a string of terrorist attacks and mass sexual assaults in Cologne and other cities during New Year 2015/16 soured the public mood towards asylum seekers, providing the AfD with a string of state election successes in 2016.

If the AfD were to win 10 percent of the vote it would complicate coalition building after the election, as all the other parties have ruled out building a coalition with them.

So they did better than the prediction of 10%:



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41384550

Its success has shocked Germany's political establishment, and protests against the anti-Islam party have been held in several cities following the election result . . .

But discord is already evident in the party - with another leader, Frauke Petry, declaring at the same news conference she would not join AfD's parliamentary group despite winning a seat, before abruptly leaving the room to the surprise of other leaders.

Ms Petry, who is the best-known AfD figure, said there was "disagreement over content" in the party. The move is a sign that having won her own seat and led the party to a strong result, Ms Petry is feeling confident enough to mould it in her own image, the BBC's Damien McGuinness in Berlin says. She wants to make AfD more moderate and tone down its nationalist rhetoric, he adds.

'far-right party'.

why far-right?, because they're against massive immigration and/or massive islam?

then they should be labeled as 'anti-immigration party' no?

It's clear that this is a way to try to smear the reputation of these kind of parties.

Many readers of spanish newpapers complain about the flippancy and bad intentions of mass-media labeling as 'far-right' to those kind of political parties.

I agree that the label 'far right' is misused. I don't know if it is deliberate or not, but, as Impasible says, it makes them sound uncivilised and irrational. This is what the BBC says:

"So they are best described as right-wing populist and nationalist with increasingly strong links to far-right attitudes. They are still some way from the extremism of Germany's NPD, seen by many as a neo-Nazi group."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37274201

They talk about their policies, none of which are extreme. But even the word 'extreme' is a value judgement when used in politics. Extreme situations may require extreme solutions.

Neon Knight wrote:https://www.thelocal.de/20170815/far-right-afd-set-to-become-third-largest-party-in-german-parliament-poll-finds

[A] poll published by INSA and Bild on Tuesday found that the far-right AfD are on course to win 10% of the vote at the September 24th vote. That would put them in third place behind the Social Democrats (SPD) on 25% and Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) on 37%.

The far-right party, who were set up in 2013 and have recently built popularity on their staunch criticism of Merkel’s refugee policies, are only just ahead of the competition, though. The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to win 9% of the vote, as are Die Linke (The Left Party), INSA predicts. The Green party meanwhile lags behind on 7%.

If the AfD were to become the third largest party in the Bundestag it would act as a lightning bolt striking German politics, where conservative votes have been hoovered up by the CDU and their Bavarian sister party the CSU throughout the postwar period. The AfD have caused public outrage on several occasions, with leaders being accused of anti-Semitism, racism and even Nazi sympathies based on comments they have made in public and private.

But Merkel’s decision to open the country's borders to refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries proved unpopular with many conservative voters. Meanwhile a string of terrorist attacks and mass sexual assaults in Cologne and other cities during New Year 2015/16 soured the public mood towards asylum seekers, providing the AfD with a string of state election successes in 2016.

If the AfD were to win 10 percent of the vote it would complicate coalition building after the election, as all the other parties have ruled out building a coalition with them.

It was expected. I'm sure majority of Germans don't want more migrants, and they would be happy if they leave Germany. I think AfD has become so popular bc of Merkel's stupid policy.

Considering the situation, I consider the result disapointing.

Jehan I wrote:Considering the situation, I consider the result disapointing.

Yeah. Considering how fast the German population is changing, I would expect more concern from German voters. There is a feeling of time running out, in Germany and other countries.

People have bigger problems as they see it. Paying the mortgage or for their children's schooling. Job and economy stabilty, taxes and so forth. Most will vote for policies reflecting such concerns rather than the long-term view such as, what are we leaving behind for our grandchildren. Selfishness is part of human nature.

And then there are those who try to name and shame others who vote for these parties. Using both the media and social media to bully people into towing the line or possibly affecting their business or employment.

The Continental Europeans are supposed to be the idealists and the British the pragmatists. So if identitarian politics is not going to get any stronger in Germany, France, etc. then it is not going to make much impression at all in Britain.

We've just about got back to the stage now where "it's not racist to talk about immigration". And for a nationalist type party to stand a chance in a general election we would first have to change our voting system to a version of proportional representation. Neither the Conservative or Labour parties are keen on this because the current system works pretty well for their traditional game of taking turns in power. Tragically, many voters do not understand how important it is to change this system.

https://www.thelocal.de/20180219/poll-afd-now-the-second-most-popular-party Quoting:

Far-right AfD now the second most popular party in Germany: poll

A poll published on Monday by the newspaper Bild put the Alternative for Germany (AfD) on 16 percent, showing that they are currently more popular than the Social Democrats (SPD).

The poll, conducted by INSA put the AfD on 16 percent, just ahead of the SPD on 15.5 percent. The poll marks the lowest support ever achieved by the SPD, traditionally one of the two major parties of German politics. According to the poll Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats are the most popular party in the country and would secure 32 percent of the vote were elections to be held tomorrow.

Environmentalists can take heart from the poll too, as it confirms a trend of blooming support for the Green party. The Greens won 8.9 percent of the vote in September’s election but are now polling at 13 percent.

The popularity of the far-right AfD has been creeping up in recent weeks, with polls consistently putting them on 14 percent or above. They entered the Bundestag for the first time in September after winning 12.6 percent of the vote. The party was set up in 2013 and fought the election of that year on an anti-Euro platform, but failed to make it over the five percent hurdle needed to make it into parliament.

A slight increase in popularity from a few months ago . . .

https://www.westmonster.com/afd-joint-second-most-popular-party-in-germany/ Quoting:



European politics continues to change at a rapid rate, with the anti-Euro AfD now the joint second most popular party in Germany, according to a new poll. The anti-mass migration party is currently sitting on 17%, tied with the SPD, and they’re snapping at the heels of the CDU/CSU coalition.

It’s the highest rating for the AfD ever in terms of polls conducted by YouGov. Anti-establishment parties are sweeping the board across the continent and the political change in Germany is now happening rapidly.

Good. I hope the establishment is quaking in fear.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/02/far-right-german-politician-pulls-out-of-oxford-union-event  Quoting:

Far-right German politician pulls out of Oxford Union event

Anti-racist campaigners had planned to protest at appearance by Alice Weidel of AfD

Anti-racism campaigners have claimed a victory after a leading figure in a far-right German political party cancelled a planned trip to the UK to address the Oxford Union. Activists had demanded the withdrawal of an invitation to Alice Weidel, whose Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has drawn criticism for its links to neo-Nazis. Campaigners had planned to protest during her appearance.

“This is an important victory for anti-racists,” said Kate Douglas from the Oxford branch of the Stand Up To Racism campaign group, which was behind the planned protest. It said the cancellation “shows that anti-racists can make a difference if they organise and mobilise”.

Weidel was due to give a speech to the Oxford Union next Wednesday before facing questions, rather than participate in a full debate. Kristina Kämpfer, a University of Oxford PhD student, co-authored an open letter calling for the event to be cancelled or for its format to be changed in order to subject Weidel to more “comprehensive scrutiny”. She said: “I fully support the value of free speech but I think the union needs to be aware of the quagmire that’s caused by inviting people like Alice Weidel.” Kämpfer added that the institution had placed itself in the position where it was forced to choose between handing a platform to the far right or denying it one and allowing Weidel to present herself as a victim.

The Oxford Union said: “Alice Weidel has cancelled her planned trip to the UK next week due to concerns with the security arrangements for aspects of her travels and engagements. We regret to inform members that she will therefore not be speaking at the Oxford Union.” The institution’s president, Stephen Horvath, confirmed Weidel had made no mention to him of any specific threat when cancelling her trip. Weidel and AfD failed to respond to a request for comment and questions on the same topic.

Thames Valley police confirmed it had been working with the Oxford Union on security for the event but was unable to say on Friday evening whether or not it had received any specific complaints or information about security threats.

. . . AfD has been heavily criticised because of senior members’ links to rightwing extremists, after they marched alongside members of the Pegida group in September. In response to previous criticism, AfD has said it is a “democratic party which stands up for the constitutional state. The AfD fights against extremists who abuse authorised protests in order to advertise their anti-democratic world view”.

Weyman Bennett, the joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said the far right was on the rise globally. “Far right and fascists seek the prestige of institutions like the Oxford Union to legitimise their racist views. Wherever racism is given credibility, it emboldens racists to launch attacks, as was the case in the horrific murder of 11 Jews at their synagogue in Pittsburgh.”

https://www.dw.com/en/german-right-wing-afd-party-fears-radicalization-of-youth-wing/a-46449323 Quoting:

Several Young Alternative chapters have become increasingly close to anti-Semitic, far-right groups like the NPD and Identitarians. Now, top AfD leaders are wondering whether the party's youth wing should be dissolved

The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is so worried about its youth organization becoming radicalized that there are calls to disband it entirely, according to German media reports on Monday. The Junge Alternative (Young Alternative or JA) has become increasingly close to the radical Identitarian movement (IB) over the past years, and several JA state chapters are being surveilled by intelligence services over concerns about extremism. Many "JA functionaries participate in IB meet-ups, hold speeches at IB events, or take part in IB demonstrations," reported the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily.

Identitarians across Europe propagate several ethno-nationalist and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. They promote the neo-fascist idea of ethno-pluralism as an antidote to multiculturalism. Although the IB remains a fringe movement, German authorities have repeatedly raised concerns that IB adherents are becoming increasingly well-armed, radicalized, and more numerous.

Close ties to IB and the neo-Nazi NPD have the authorities already keeping a close watch on the JA organizations in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony and Bremen. At the same time, JA social media groups have begun spreading increasingly racist and xenophobic content, including the claim that immigration from Africa was bringing "man-eating cannibals" to Europe.

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine, the situation has been getting so out of hand that the top brass of the nationalist AfD is considering dissolving the JA. Deputy party leader Georg Pazderski has suggested cutting ties to some chapters or exercising more direct party control over them.

But the JA might be doing the AfD's work for them. Disagreements over maintaining relationships with the NPD and IB have reportedly begun to erode JA chapters, with as many as 70 functionaries resigning in Baden-Württemberg alone. Later on Monday, the AfD said in a press release that they were taking "individual inhumane statements from some JA members" seriously and that they expected these people to step down. They also confirmed that the situation will be an important topic of discussion at their next federal convention.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/11/new-far-right-german-party-adopts-former-secret-nazi-symbol  Quoting:

A German politician has left the far-right Alternative for Germany to set up a new party with a logo that uses a symbol adopted as a secret sign by Austrian Nazis in the 1930s.

André Poggenburg resigned from his post as the AfD’s regional leader in eastern Saxony-Anhalt state last year after labelling Turks as “camel drivers” and immigrants with dual nationality a “homeless mob we no longer want”. He announced his resignation from the party in an email sent to the leadership earlier this week. In the email he criticised the AfD for worrying too much about the possibility of being put under surveillance by German intelligence. Separately he told Welt newspaper that he was opposed to a “shift to the left” in the AfD, which has spent the last months ridding itself of extreme elements in an attempt to appear more moderate. “Unfortunately, the developments inside the AfD in the last weeks and months has shown that it isn’t really my political home any longer,” Poggenburg wrote in the email.

His new party Aufbruch der Deutschen Patrioten (Awakening of German Patriots) will use a German flag against the background of a cornflower. The small blue flower was used as a secret symbol by the then-banned National Socialists in 1930s Austria before the Anschluss of 1938 brought the Nazis to power in the country.



Poggenburg, who has repeatedly come under fire for his use of Nazi-era vocabulary, will bring at least two AfD allies, Egbert Ermer and Benjamin Przybylla, into his fledgling party. The party is said to be planning an electoral debut at regional elections in the eastern states of Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg this autumn. Poggenburg told Welt that he does not want the party to compete with the AfD, and that he proposes “to stay with the successful [political] positioning of the AfD of around two years ago and not go along with the noticeable shift to the left”.

The development will overshadow the AfD’s annual conference in the Saxon town of Riesa, which opened on Friday. Delegates will finalise the party’s programme for upcoming European elections and are expected to reject a proposal supporting “Deuxit” – Germany exiting the EU.