What does “far-right” actually mean? Take Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. It’s certainly been adopting a much harder line on immigration over the past year, in the run-up to the federal elections in September. Does that make it far-right? Or is it just a party with conservative values? A nationalist party? Is it all just a matter of opinion? Guido, for example, wrote us a comment arguing that the AfD is a fascist party. Tina on the other hand, commented arguing that the AfD represents conservative values and not right-wing extremism.
What is certain is that the AfD has firmly established itself over the last few years in the German political landscape. Today the “Alternative for Germany” sits in 14 state legislatures and will probably also make the leap into the Bundestag come September. The polls suggest a stable approval rating of over 5%. But if the party is really a far-right party and does indeed enter the Bundestag this September, what does that mean for German democracy?
A 2016 study suggests the AfD is attracting members with extreme far-right views. Other newspaper reports conclude the same thing, pointing out that many AfD members have backgrounds in Germany’s far-right scene. Critics accuse the party of hesitating when they should be expelling these members quickly. The AfD’s dithering over Björn Höcke’s statement that Germany should stop atoning for its Nazi past is a prime example. Most recently, the resignation of Steffi Brönner, who had been acting as Björn Höcke’s deputy, also gives cause for concern. Brönner accused the AfD of making extremist views “socially acceptable”.
But does all this really mean that we’re dealing with a far-right party here? Some would argue that just because the AfD has members who hold far-right views, that does not make the whole party far-right.
To get some views on this question, we approached a few German politicians and experts. First up, we put the comments from Guido and Tina to David Begrich from the German NGO Miteinander, which works to counter racism, antisemitism, and extremism in society. What would he say? Is the AfD a far-right party?
Today, the AfD is an openly right-wing party, especially in the new federal states. This still looks different in the other federal states, since it is in part a national conservative party. I would warn against rushing to judgment. The AfD is neither fascist nor is it an extreme right-wing party. The AfD is very complex. But, without a doubt, it is a party which follows a right-wing world-view.
Guido also sent us another comment, in which he writes: “Whoever chooses the AfD must accept the accusations that they are racist or a Nazi.” Is he right? Are all AfD voters racist or neo-Nazis? We also put this to David Begrich.
Finally we also received a comment from Paul, who fears that the AfD would be anti-democratic and would abolish fundamental rights. Is he right? We talked with Professor Werner Patzelt, founding professor of the Dresden Institute for Political Science and someone who has researched much about AfD and Pegida. What does he believe? Would the AfD in the Bundestag be a threat to democracy?
The AfD is a party that has been traditionally sat to the right of [Angela Merkel’s] CDU. It also draws its support from former non-voters, the [centre-left] SPD and even the [radical left] Die Linke. This shows that the AfD is not primarily a party of far-right radicals, but a party of citizens who are no longer in agreement with the established political class. From the outset, the AfD has been labelled as far-right or fascist; but the leadership of the AfD and a significant part of its members, many of them even from the CDU, is not composed of racists or fascists, and they have not been deterred by this strategy. It has, of course, as a side effect, resulted in many genuine far-right radicals finally finding themselves in the AfD and expressing their convictions. To this extent, a significant number of far-right extremists can be found in the AfD today. The AfD is currently attempting to establish an effective way to prevent this trend. The true nature [of the AfD] will only become clear during the election campaign.
Lastly, we put the same question to Dr. Ralf Melzer from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. He is the head of a project against right-wing extremism. What would he say?
The party itself does not pose a threat to democracy. Fortunately, democracy is fortified in Germany. The AfD as a phenomenon, as part of a pan-European or even global right-wing populist movement, is already a threat to democracy. You should take this seriously.
The AfD has not been put in the ‘far-right’ box for no reason. It put itself there. One has only to look at their program and statements, as well as in terms of personnel and structural cross-connections, to see that they are responsible for their far-right reputation. […]
Would the AfD pose a threat to democracy if they entered the Bundestag? Is the AfD a ‘far-right’ party? And what about their voters? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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If it doesn’t agree with your socialist radical left views it’s a threat?
The old parties do not want to give up any seats to a new party. They understand very well that the AFD is a legitimate party but they use every occassion to attack them and call them nazis etc.
The AFD is no nazi Organisation. There are racists in all parties even leftists who have racist views. What matters is the agenda of the party and the AFD doesnt have a racist agenda that anybody can point to. Isnt it odd that with all the criticism against them nobody never grabs their agenda and says “Aha you see here, point number 5 section B of their agenda is clearly racist” , probably because there is no such thing to point to. It’s all political intrigue to sow suspicions and try to sabotage a legitimate political actor to protect your own position. And dishonesty is the prime weapon of politicians for achieving this. The AFD has nothing to lose and everything to gain. The AFD will continue to grow over time. They are not going away.
Is Germany a democracy? A country with no status of limitation over governmental positions? Germany denies the most basic characteristic of any democracy…power rotation.
Merkel has no opposition. That drunk Schulz will never win the election. There’s no other party that can possibly take her “crown”…and she knows it. That’s Communism not a Democracy.
Japan didn’t change ruling parties between 1946 and 1993. Didn’t mean Japan is not a democracy. It just means the opposition is pathetic.
Not changing a ruling party is quite different of not changing a leader.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
If Islam is a democracy for you, then they are a threat to it.
How do we define “democracy”? The AfD may be a threat to liberal democracy but not democracy itself. The AfD does not want to abolish representative democracy or elections. Instead it actually calls for more direct democracy in which the majority always rules supreme (democratic but not liberal). Just throwing the anti-democratic label out there w/o having a basic discussion on the definition of democracy is intellectually lazy in my opinion.
If anything we have entered a “post-democratic” state because interchangeable leaders like Angela Merkel have come to stand for nothing as she changes her basic policy positions depending on the prevailing public sentiments of the day. Many Germans feel that their vote has no bearing on the political course of the country since it is completely irrelevant whether the country is governed by a Grand Coalition, a CDU-Green coalition or any other possible alliance between the established parties after the next election. Politicians moreover tend to assume that an elite consensus on various topics (Europe or migration) means there is no need to discuss these topics in the political realm anymore. This feeds into voter frustration and constitutes the real threat to democracy.
As far as I see it, the AfD are a traditional conservative party unlike Herr Angel Merkel’s ”christian” democrats. I once thought that far-right means Nazis. Now I know that ”far-right” actually means ”people who don’t support liberal-leftist totalitarian views”
It matters not if you like their politics or not, democracy is about giving people a choice, banning parties such as AfD just because the liberal elite disagree with their views would be the real threat to democracy
Currently you could pick up a manifesto from any of the mainstream European political parties and not have a clue which one it is for, if there was more variance in mainstream politics then people wouldn’t have to vote for the more extreme parties to get their opinions heard
The Left is the real threat to democracy. They brand everything they don’t like as “hate speech”. They call people who have very legit concerns about immigration – nazis, racists, islamophobes …you name it- they call it. They are also supported by the governments and the media. People are afraid to speak their minds in Europe because they’re don’t want to be called derogatory names or lose their jobs…. How’s that for reality check Debating Europe?
If Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong, Joseph Stalin win in democrating vote I prefer everything that is threat to democraccy.
Absurd. Is political diversity and sensitive critic a danger for democracy? Of course not, is the base for democratic evolution and sustainability.
The only danger for democracy is the endemic unaccountable undemocratic elite in the European council and other EU institutions.
The AfD could destabilize and discredit European politics.
But, the Afd is a party has had only limited success selling its programme, despite widespread concern over the scale of the demographic change the influx brought to a country of 82 million.
AfD by itself was not a threat. AfD serving as the electoral wing for PEGIDA, that’s an attempt to subvert Germanys anti extremist bana.
I think AfD should be banned.
Nope, they are trying to stand up and save the German people from their Marxist government which seeks to replace them
Is the AfD a threat to German democracy?
Why would you not ask if ‘mass immigration’ is a threat to Democracy and to the German people? Why site a perfectly legitimate political party? Merkel, without addressing the German people encouraged mass immigration from outside of Europe. Mostly from Islamic countries. Now why would a ‘Democrat’ without asking permission of the people of her country, do that? What is her parties and her agenda? Surely she is educated enough to know the background of the people she is asking to come to Germany? Surely she cannot believe that they will suddenly drop all the cultural differences they have as they pass through the borders? How odd to just assume Germans would want such overtly different standards of life in their future without offering them a refusal.
It’s the policies of present German leaders that are a dreadful threat to the people of that country and to their Western lifestyle. Especially as that party refuses to accept the voice, or pay any attention to, those who pay their wages. The citizens there have no alternative other than to look for a political party who cares the way they do about their civilisation and cultural expectations. Europe is in a process of self hatred and looking for it to be destroyed from outside. In other words, tribal suicide. And it doesn’t stay inside Germany, it is all over this continent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58xKnZq-1sM
EU cash flow problems? What does the DE has in common with property advertising in Pakistan?
I think that spd and cdu are treat to german democracy not afd
Theres no democracy within the EU, dictats come down to the people from on high, an unelected council/commission making policy as they go along, the people get to put up with it, to date across the bloc there has been rapes, murders and all kinds of other criminal behaviour, it goes unreported and any concerns of the citizens are met with the usual leftard response that they’re being racist/bigoted/xenophobic. Democracy died at Maastricht and everybody involved in the project knows it, only the powers that be deny it from their ivory towers where they remain untouched by the scum they’ve burdened the people of Europe with. Any party opposed to EU policy are labled ‘far right’ in the hope the ignorant masses convinced Hitler was the only devil known to man will immediately fall for the propaganda and vote for the status quo accordingly, pity for the likes of this site Europeans are slowly waking up to what they’re having foisted upon them.
vote AFD , from portugal i tell evryone in germany please vote AFD.
fascism is a threat in an democracy.
AfD is not fascist or nazist party.
absolutely it is, you should ask all the dudes at their events doing sieg heils abot this.
JD Blaha if you want to forbitens people to do sieg than go live to a place where people live under forbitons and under hate laws and hate speech laws, that way nobody will do sieg and u be happy.
JD Blaha blaha is a hater that hate europeans people. in europe we canot have this anymore.
I would put it the opposite way: the AfD’s rise is a sign that the Federal Republic is becoming more democratic and tolerant of freedom of thought, including *nationalist* thought. Germany has absolutely massive censorship legislation but the Internet has strongly reduced the power of traditional media-political gatekeepers.
My impression is the AfD, like most mass West-European nationalist parties, does not have an anti-democratic doctrine. Rather, they want to stop the spread of Islam and the replacement of native Germans by immigrants, within the democratic system.
It’s impossible to keep up the welfare state without immigration. Germans are not reproducing far enough, and German society is aging at lightening speed. If people want to continue to enjoy their retirement and have people to take care of them when they are retirement homes, then they should be open to immigration.
I think that is true if you let in high-quality immigrants (i.e. educated, skilled). Afro-Islamic immigrants and their children however have, on average, paid less in taxes and required more in welfare than other groups. How does that help “pay one’s pensions”? Merkel’s very costly decision to bring in unskilled and uneducated migrants is difficult to understand given Germany’s failure to integrate Turkish migrants and the oncoming of automation, which will make it even harder to employ these people.
Also, some people put their identity before the economy. AfD has proposed that Germans should have more children rather than resort to migrants. http://www.dw.com/image/40013331_401.jpg
Craig Willy i find it interesting to state that we failed to integrate turkish migrants, especially with your french background. For the rest..Migrants contribute to the economy more than they receive. Whats the sense to dream about imaginary german milk cows who are perfectly educated and smart. They are just imaginary. You always can dream about better neighbors or citizens but the people with foreign background are existing and contribute to our welfare. Especially regarding the decreasing birth rate, is it visible that such slogans as above are purely directed against migrants.
Craig Willy When you say difficulty to integrate Turkish migrants, do you have any facts to back your statement up? Because I take it you´ve never actually lived in Germany.
What do you mean by referring to France?
As to migrants’ net economic impact: it depends on the group. Generally, European migrants have a net positive impact and integrate in a generation or two. Educated migrants also have a positive impact, especially from India and East Asia. This is not true of Turkish migrants as a whole. Concerning the recent migrant invasion, even the German government is admitting now that, contrary to their previous claims, this is going to be very economically costly to Germany: https://www.ft.com/content/022de0a4-54f4-11e7-9fed-c19e2700005f
In my opinion, Germany should have an immigration policy tailored to the interests of the German people.
Hello Alex Sekkpfb. Here is some data:
* Welfare use: http://www.laser.uni-erlangen.de/papers/paper/117.pdf
* Educational underperformance: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4943948/
* Crime 1: http://www.dw.com/en/german-crime-statistics-reveal-steep-rise-in-violent-and-political-crimes/a-38567261
* Crime 2: http://www.unz.com/akarlin/immigrant-crime-in-germany/
Generally speaking, Germany’s migrant situation seems quite similar to what has occurred in France and Britain (which I know better).
I love seeing people talking about whites not reproducing and stating that as a reason to get third world people to replace us and our religion. Remember that when you see commercials about condoms and pills. About “1 of 3 underaged girls getting pregnant after having unprotected sex”. Just because we are being brainwashingly sterilized and thought since childhood that unprotected sex is bad because evil babies may come up. That females must make a career and not settle with a family. And that males should try homosexual act as they may like it (in the same time you get the propaganda that you are born with your sexuality.. but yea, heterosexual guys must try it as they may like it.. the paradox is real.)
God bless Bulgaria!
“It’s impossible to keep up the welfare state without immigration.” Lol in USA it is impossible to keep up the welfare state because of immigration. :D I am sure as the 3rd world immigrant composition of Germany increases there will be the same issues. It is clear as sun. Without proper vetting you will get lots of low IQ people who you can’t educate to levels needed to work in industry 4.0 economy. You must be blatantly stupid to think that some subpopulation with one-two less of standard deviation in av. IQ and with incoherences in culture will feed you when you will be old. They will just mug you and probably kill you. :D
Ok, das wäre ein Grund, um selber Profit raus zu schlagen. Aber wie sieht’s aus mit der Solidarität, der Mitmenschlichkeit, der sogenannten “Nächstenliebe”? Ist es nicht mehr möglich, ohne Profitabsicht zu denken? Ich glaube, das ist das wirkliche Problem, das wir haben. Einfach dort anzupacken, wo es was zu tun gibt – in dem Bewusstsein, dass wir alle zum Menschenvolk gehören.
Why you never ask: “Is the Islamic Brotherhood and Salafism a threat to democracy?”?
This question would have much more relevance!
No!
Populism, racism and facism are always dangerous
and also postmodern marxism that search to destroy western civilization. :D never forget that one :)
I agree that socialism the way it was implemented by the Easter European countries, with no space for liberties, was terrible. I think we have to demand: freedom, Economic growth and social justice. All of the three at the same time. Just one or two is too few. All of the 3.
Marcelo is hater, he hates europeans.
Carlos Branco who? Me? Are you serious? My father is Portuguese. My mother’s family is Italian. I love living in Europe. And I do not spread hate speech. Actually I think that we are going to face so many problems in the future (regarding low economic growth, climate change, migrations) that only working together we will be able to solve them. No alternative. Much more bridges than walls. For sure.
Why would they be a threat? Since when is a democracy a danger? Oh yes, since it does not fit #poco!
The bigger question is ,is the EU a serious threat to democracy
yes it is. ur making right question.
Religious fundamentalism is the greatest threat and will bring war. Christian fundamentalism is rising to meet the threat of Islamic fundamentalism and no one seems to have noticed.
maybe u shuld go to arabie saudite to notice the rise of christianity. daaah
We are discussing Europe not the Middle East.
I agree, more people have been slaughtered in the name of GOD, than for any other reason. Look at Trump, just tell an evangelical christian that he would ban abortions, and he’s got their vote, regardless! I heard an uneducated man say “I hate fanatics, I don’t care if they are Christians, Muslims, Jews, or football fans, I hate fanatics”
Yes it damn is!
we europeans do not want haters like u in our land.
Haters? I’m a confident european,born and raised in europe,I love this continent more than anything and the afd definetly opposes a threat to this union
I think it is great. They are not Nazis. They understand what is the EU problems.
And the truth is: we are fed up of the politically correct mainstream. We want freedom, democracy, liberty of expression. We are against Sharia law. We are against the Dictatorship of Islam
konrad heiden a journalist askhenazi invented the word “nazi”. the journalists can call “Nazis” to all they dislike its a concept deregatory invented by konrad heiden. we can find the word nazi in askhenazi, maybe a coincidence.
VOTE AFD <3 WE LOVE AFD <3 AND NPD <3 never merlk or shultz.
No! Merkel and her ilk are a threat ro freedom and democracy
Stupid man 😠😠😠
Stupid is anyone who thinks that insult is an argument or should be take seriously
yes, if they have more than 75 seats
Which they will :-(
Larry Moffett no they have 87
Of course not.migrants and erdovan are a threat to democracy
Neo-Nazis should be sent to concentration camps.
Ironic..
You know what a real threat to democracy is? Millions of illegals unwilling to integrate and accept our european values…
And where are those millions of illegals?
They call them refugees
Who says they are unwilling to integrate? Stop fantasizing.
If being a nazi, a fascist or a xenofobic asshole is having european values, Europe deserves to be erased.
Hopefuly this is not true, but we have to be aware of this new confluence of the stupids and the evil.
No.
I actually hope they do good today.
How can you have an Anne Frank quote in your profile and condone the AfD.
Miguel Hilário the Afd is not anti semitic, they are anti Islamic. Judaism has not caused hate and devision as Islam did.
The Afd is the only party that has sense in Germany. Refugees are a national threat and everyone knows it. The Afd is only speaking out about it, whether people like it or not.
Carl Sebastian Steenekamp Maybe expand your knowledge and go see for yourself what far-right groups think about jews.
Muslims are just another people. Some are extremist fucks… others are kind individuals. Is their culture and religion more agressive than others? I believe so, but it’s our right as citizens of the free world to help and educate those in need and shape the world into a better place.
You’re confused Carl. Islam is subjected to hate and divisiveness (not ‘devision’) today just as Judaism was in the 30s. What the AfD says about Muslims is practically word for word the same as what the Nazis said about Jews. History repeats itself.
Open Door Policy for Immigrants is a direct Threat to the Democracy & European values
Yes
The AfD, as abhorrent as they appear to be, might be the only sign that democracy still exists.
They have a right to the seats they won. But their policies and politics place them firmly in the camp of Nazis. Simple. There is no if, buts, they are nazis.
Being a declared Nazi, using Nazi symbols or slogans, or imagery, will get you arrested and put in prison in Germany, so that is factually incorrect. You might say I am being pedantic, however, you don’t go throwing that accusation around here as casually as people seem to do outside of Germany. To the point where it is meaningless.
Open door policy with no limits is bigger threat than unlikely victory of afd or the party itself.
If you have this question you should open dictionary and look what “democracy” means…
It is good that afd become a parliament party, maybe now our stupid European governments will change their idiotic policies
freedom for catalonia
Catalan Nazi Nationalists trolls are a threat for democracy in Europe.
How can a normal conservative party be a threat to German democracy? Leftist censorship in the German media and politics are the real threat to German democracy (you know, calling everyone with a different opinion a ”Nazi”)
Not at all. AFD is NOT extremist.
That depends on how much attention the media is willing to pay to a 13% footnote of the election
The far right becomes stronger and stronger in EU. All countries will sooner or later have a fascist-neonazi party in parliament.
The first and most important threat for democracy is the EU itself. The EU policies attack EU citizens daily in many ways, mostly financially, which creates the idea for an alternative solution. Unfortunately EU citizens have a short and heavily selective memory which makes them believe these fascist-neonazi parties can be a solution.
A big part for this decision is relative to the EU political situation in all country members. The EU, in its present form and deeply undemocratic structure, has contaminated 90% of the parties that participate the national elections making them act in favor of the EU establishment. This leaves voters with little choice but still responsible for the rise of fascism in Europe…
Yes
No.
To be completely realistic. Nobody can really control the masses against their will. Only question is when will those have enough of same propaganda from leftist EU establishment that is looking for any excuse to take our capital and just waste it. That will be shown with politics or inevitable violence. So question you should ask yourselves is this. Do you want to continue denying populations alternatives from your agendas or do you want to actually have a discussion on what our populations want so that masses won’t turn to violence? Redundant expenses are the real problem and threat to our economies and when you have a nerve to import millions whose expenses go for billions. That capital should be invested in Europe in order to protect our populations and our way of life. For this kind of capital many industries could be created that would provide job opportunities for our populations. If you are not wiling to protect what we have then don’t act surprised when more countries want to leave this sinking project under your leadership. Especially when those redundant expenses are threatening very existence of social systems which shows that those reserves are either spend or used somewhere else. Just it should be really obvious to everybody that its left that is determined to keep importing masses and force us to pay for expenses. Just we all know why you did it. It is to create voting blocks and undermine our political strength. That was done against our will and as far i am concerned anybody that dares to threaten our populations and want to change our way of life has to be removed. Not just that importing masses and give them same education creates massive influx of labor force which is what corporations are interested in so they can pay less for labor and increase their profits. Which means to contribute more in economy then taking it out while this “refugee” programs are massive economic hole so why should anybody pay for them? Only way to create justification for this waste is wasting more capital for mainstream media and their propaganda. That is what it is really about when it comes to selective “democracy” that EU wants. So really there is absolutely no economical benefit with immigration of any populations that don’t have needed skills to actually help our economies. So if your only response to this is AfD is undemocratic because they have unwanted opinions then you have just shown that you should never be entrusted with leadership in first place.
They are the only hope for German democracy.
No, it is a test!
Well a stupid question like this is definetely more threatening to European civilization :-( …
No, it is not, we are not in the 1930s; back than Germany had just emerged from decades of authoritarian monarchy and the loss of WW1, had no democratic tradition and the economy was knocked out by the Great Depression, while today Germany is Europe’s most powerful economy, a well established democracy and a very influential nation both in Europe and the whole world, this is most likely just an angry response to Merkel’s policies regarding migrants
Au contraire Merkel is a danger to the western civilization which is more than democracy
no, it´s a hope
What could be a bigger threat to democracy than telling people they need to vote a certain way? Doesn’t democracy mean you vote how you want, not just for the approved candidate?
My 88 year old husband was 14 when the war ended. He lived close to the Buchenwald concentration camp. His post war experience was very traumatic. He managed to escape from east Germany, eventually emmigrating to Canada where I met him fifty years ago.
The emergence of the AFD has brought up old nightmares. He is so fearful that they will return- I assured him it would never happen, he looked at me, and said “that’s what everyone said in 1936”