The radical right-wing Alternative für Deutschland is on the rise. In polls, AfD could count on the support of 19 percent of German voters. With this, the party is starting to compete seriously with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD. According to German correspondent Derk Marseille, the poor polls are no surprise for a ruling party, “but the fact that the AfD benefits from them certainly makes it nervous”.
The growth of AfD is also affecting the incumbent government. Economy and Climate Minister Habeck (the Greens) said last week that polls lead to no action. Yet AfD’s growth is also having an effect on the incumbent government. According to Marseille, a recent speech by Chancellor Scholz in Brandenburg shows how much AfD’s growth affects its tone. For example, Scholz made a lot of it in Russia. “He also raised his voice and made violent gestures, which is not really how we know Scholz.”
Great dissatisfaction
According to Marseille, it comes as a bit of a shock to the ruling parties that the AfD now ranks so high in the polls. Many Germans are dissatisfied with the unpopular measures taken by the Ampelkoalition. Voters feel high inflation in their wallets. Furthermore, the conflict in Ukraine is also causing friction among the population. This concerns both financial and military support that Germany provides to Ukraine. “This is what a lot of people oppose, especially in eastern Germany,” Marseille said.
The Alternative für Deutschland has stabilized as a party over the years. The party was founded in 2013, split in 2017 and since then the course has been harmonious, according to Marseille. “There are few internal conflicts, now they are quite regionally organized.” A poll in the eastern state of Thuringia shows that half of voters are not satisfied with democratic institutions. According to Marseille, it is about “the government, politics, but also the judiciary and everything that has to do with the state”.
New arrival
For many Germans it is interesting that the AfD is “the newcomer”, explains Marseille. ‘What then is a radical right-wing party with extremist elements, also under the magnifying glass of all the intelligence services and where concrete investigations are underway. It’s not big enough to have influence.’ The AfD can use it with voters in the coming period.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
