According to German correspondent Derk Marseille, the victory in the Sonneberg district is a logical consequence of the visible trend in the state of Thuringia, but also in Germany. “The party has been stable in the polls in Thuringia for years.”
“The fact that AfD now wins the elections is cause for concern”
And the fact that they are now winning is a cause for concern, think Marseille. Especially since an influential movement within the AfD does not reject right-wing extremism. In addition, there are also various investigations by the security services of senior party officials. “Statements are scrutinized publicly, for example, but secret investigations are also conducted,” he continues. “For example, the functioning of the youth department.”
“Danger of right-wing extremism”
According to Marseille, it even goes so far that of the 30,000 members of the AfD, more than 33% are known as “dangers of right-wing extremism”. That is, they are capable of committing violent crimes. “However, it must be established that these are not just neo-Nazis,” she explains. ‘There are also many concerns within the party about the existing power. But the small fraction that is willing to use violence worries the Germans.”
Cultural scientist Anja Fricke, who grew up in the GDR herself, supports the concerns of the Germans. “The magnifying glass is now on Sonnenberg, but ultimately it applies to all of Germany,” she says. “The AfD has been stable for years, so it shouldn’t be a surprise anymore.”
Past
According to Fricke, this has everything to do with the prevailing dissatisfaction, especially since the early years of the GDR. “The breakup in 1990 and the switch from one system to another overnight had dire consequences,” he says. “And that brought frustration, and it’s been building up for quite some time.”
He claims that German citizens do not feel heard enough, and this is where the opportunity for right-wing parties lies, he thinks. “They are better at talking to people locally than other parties.”