It is a historic moment for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party: just 12 years after its founding, it has risen to become the second-largest political force in Germany.
The party nearly doubled its result from the last German election in 2021 and now holds around 20% of the vote. In eastern Germany, it has emerged as the strongest political movement.
Alice Weidel, the lead candidate for the AfD, emphasized on election night that her party is prepared to enter a coalition with the winning center-right alliance of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). However, she also lashed out at the CDU’s leader and potential next chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
The AfD managed to influence the political discourse in Germany during the election campaign with its anti-immigration rhetoric, calling for closed borders to refugees and asylum seekers. Despite its success, the party still faces some challenges, with German security authorities classifying it as partially far-right extremist. Some chapters and members of the party are under surveillance by domestic intelligence agencies.
While the AfD has garnered support from influential figures such as Elon Musk and J.D. Vance, its rise is seen as a threat to democracy and migrants in the country. Dem Demonstrations against the party were held in the weeks leading up to the general election.
Despite its election results falling short of its expectations, the AfD continues to push for radical policies, such as leaving the European Union, returning to a national currency, and ending military support for Ukraine.
Addressing Friedrich Merz directly, Alice Weidel said, “You want the opposite of what we want, and that is why there will be no cooperation.” Weidel has set her sights on the future and indicated her availability to be her party’s candidate for chancellor at the next election in 2029.
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Source: https://www.dw.com/en/german-far-right-afd-sees-historic-gains-still-out-of-power/a-71725460?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
