The elections in Germany resulted in a victory for the emboldened far-right forces, marking an unprecedented outcome in the country's post-war history, writes the Guardian.
Conservatives from the "Christian Democratic Union of Germany" and the "Christian Social Union in Bavaria" gathered 28.6% of the votes. The far-right party "Alternative for Germany" came in second with 20.8%, while the third position was held by the center-left Social Democratic Party of Germany, led by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with 16.4%.
The ultra-right "Alternative for Germany" will now occupy the 151st seat in the Bundestag, while the winners will be allocated 208 seats, and the Social Democrats will be pushed down to the 121st seat in parliament.
Is a coalition possible?
Co-chair of the "Alternative for Germany," Alice Weidel, expressed readiness to negotiate a coalition, despite other parties ruling out collaboration with AfD.
Yesterday, the leader of the conservatives, Friedrich Merz, reiterated that there was "no question" of joining a coalition with the far-right party.
“But for millions of Germans who view AfD as an unprecedented threat, this is a weak consolation. Especially after a campaign marked by political rhetoric against migrants. Meanwhile, issues such as the country’s economy, deteriorating infrastructure, or the housing crisis seem to have been ignored,” writes the Guardian.
History and sympathy for Nazism
The party was founded in 2013 by a group of Eurosceptics in response to the European Union's decision to provide multibillion-dollar aid to Greece during the financial crisis. However, the real surge in AfD's popularity came during the migration crisis of 2015 when hundreds of thousands of refugees flooded into Germany. By capitalizing on public discontent with the government's migration policies, the party was able to strengthen its position and entered the Bundestag for the first time in 2017.
Due to its harsh rhetoric regarding migrants, "Alternative for Germany" soon gained a reputation as a radical party.
“Some AfD representatives, in an attempt to defend themselves against parallels with the Nazis, resorted to quite unconventional rhetoric. For instance, in 2018, then-chairman of the AfD faction in the Bundestag Alexander Gauland stated that ‘Hitler and the Nazis are but a small pile of bird droppings in over a thousand years of successful German history.’ This phrase has been recalled by opponents of AfD to this day,” writes RIA Novosti.
Another scandal occurred last year in the lead-up to the European Parliament elections. The main candidate from AfD, Maximilian Kra, claimed that not all officers of the Nazi SS organization should automatically be considered criminals. Another party representative, one of the most radical German politicians, Björn Höcke, was fined 13,000 euros for using a Nazi slogan in a speech.
Currently, some regional branches of AfD are classified as right-wing extremist. At the federal level, the party is under surveillance by intelligence services as "suspected of extremism," and the possibility of banning it has been discussed multiple times in the Bundestag.
How did "Alternative for Germany" gain popularity among Germans?
The rise in AfD's popularity is linked to public dissatisfaction with migration policies, economic instability, and social issues. The party received particularly strong support in the eastern regions of the country, where the effects of economic transformation following the reunification of Germany are still felt, highlights the Times.
Additionally, during its election campaign, the far-right party advocated for the lifting of sanctions against Russia and promised to enhance economic cooperation with Moscow.
The German publication Tagesschau.de emphasizes that the party has gained stability and popularity through its leader Alice Weidel. Recently, she was nominated as a candidate for Chancellor of Germany.
“Together with AfD co-chair Tino Chrupalla, she has brought calm to the party. For many years, AfD was torn by fierce disputes between the moderate faction and the nearly extremist wing led by Björn Höcke. Weidel was unanimously nominated for the chancellorship. The division within the party does not inspire voter confidence, whereas unity guarantees a successful performance in elections,” the publication states.
In recent years, "Alternative for Germany" has also developed a loyal electorate.
“It resembles a psychological membership in the party. These are very dedicated voters who support their party regardless of current results or scandals. In AfD, they can express their worldview, which is condemned in German society. Conspiracy theories that are detached from public discourse also play a role,” believes political scientist Benjamin Höhne from the Chemnitz University of Technology.
Another reason for AfD's success, according to Western media, is their promotion on social media.
“AfD reaches out to its supporters where they are: on social media. The party has long achieved tremendous success in implementing its digital strategy. On video platforms like TikTok and YouTube, it significantly outpaces other parties, thereby reaching many young voters,” writes Tagesschau.de.
Moreover, the “digital guest” at the launch of AfD's election campaign was billionaire Elon Musk. He stated that “it is very important for people in Germany to be proud of being Germans.” The billionaire also remarked that Germany is too focused on the past, and “children should not bear the sins of their parents.” He urged rally participants to “fight for a great future for Germany.