https://www.reuters.com/world/german-far-right-leader-attend-trump-inauguration-2025-01-16/
Me personally, I believe that the AfD’s campaign policies aren’t all bad. Sure, some of their ideas are more extreme than others, but if you dig deeper, it seems like they’re trying to do what Trump did in the USA, and I don’t see anything wrong with that. The only real problem is this minor right-wing extremist group within the AfD, which kinda makes sense if you think about it for a sec, but I think without them, the AfD would be more like Chega in Portugal rather than any extremist group. If they got rid of those so-called members, it would boost their image by a ton.
For instance, their energy policy leans towards going back to nuclear power and getting closer to Russia. This could be a good move for Germany because it would lower energy costs, making the economy stronger. Germany’s been struggling with high energy prices since phasing out nuclear power and with the sanctions against Russia, so this could be a smart move.
Their school policies also aren’t that bad. They push for more focus on traditional education methods, like emphasizing core subjects and reducing what they see as political indoctrination in schools. Which I think is good. I have some German friends; not all had the same experience, of course since they are from different Bundesländer, but I mostly heard how they only get taught about Nazi Germany and some other important topic, but not enough about the German history, what happened in Imperial Germany for example.
However, I’ve got issues with their migration policies if they won. They talk about strict immigration controls and “remigration,” which sounds pretty harsh and not in line with Germany’s recent history of being a welcoming nation for refugees. This part seems a bit too extreme, even for someone like me who isn’t totally against their ideas.
Still, I’d rather see the CDU win because I’m a fan of mandatory military service. It builds discipline and a sense of duty in young people, something I think is missing these days. Plus, the CDU seems to offer a more balanced approach overall.
Also, I forgot to mention it, but Nuclear Power is so much safer than wind turbines, and it doesn’t take up as much space when we look at their output. France seems to have figured it out, so what’s stopping Germany from doing the same? There might also be a new nuclear power plant model soon that doesn’t produce any nuclear waste, like those using thorium or advanced recycling techniques, which could solve the waste problem entirely.
But this is what the really are running on.
To the point of allegedly small pockets of extremists in that party - they have run out most of the moderates over the years and the extremists control the party.
I’ve chatted with tons of AfD voters, and the ones I’ve spoken with in real life as well as in the online spaces were mostly moderate. But I do understand if you believe they have extremists in the party. For example, I don’t like what they’ve done in Thüringen. But right now, I’m just objectively looking at their campaigns. If I were able to change some politicians in the AfD, I would. Politicians like Björn Höcke and Andreas Kalbitz are the kind of figures I’d replace to clean up the party’s image.
In the end, voters vote with their wallets. And Trump’s second victory (where there was no doubt as to what they were voting for) has shown that voters are willing to overlook a lot.
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To the point they erase literally every stupidity and idiocy their favourite candidate might say. “It was out of the context!” “He didn’t mean that, it’s the evil MS press that interprets it that way” etc etc etc. People have an enormous capacity of fooling themselves…
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I don’t doubt that many of their voters see themselves as moderate, but the concern is who would sit in parliament and - God forbid - government.
The official platform will always sound tame as they have to maintain civil and legally compliant looks. That does not change the fact that the Verfassungsschutz (domestic intelligence) assesses three AfD state-level parties as “proven right-wing extremist” and is investigating six more. There is evidence for the AfD wanting to abolish what is called the liberal-democratic constitutional order - probably enough to legally consider a ban. I am not arguing for this, but objectively the case could be made.
They oppose all abortion except for rape and medical reasons. Amazing that nobody in the abortion-happy East sees that.
Finally, lots of their economic recipes are total fantasy. Unfortunately, most other parties also offer promises without showing how to pay for it - but the AfD’s are the most fantastic. If all their budget proposals were implemented, the budget deficit would be around 50% according to a recent FAZ analysis.
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Trump’s voters will be very surprised when looking at their wallet in a year or so. Except the Musk-likes of course.
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The main question is if AfD is “mainstream” in terms of governance, judicial system and democratic checks and balances, or do they consider themselves so special and anti-system that they would keep the trappings of democracy but corrupt the system inside. As they have no track record on that, some could be worried that would something like in Austria in recent years.
There was some noise on the news today stating that being in, or part of the AfD is incompatible with being a Beamter in the police or justice department.
As far that an officer could find themselves under scrutiny.
I think that is wrong! Unless the government declares the AfD as Being Veefassungswiedrig then it should be of no consequence where your political affiliations are.
That is a slippery slope to state control.
Very logical. Nobody can ask you who you vote for, but being a member of the party is a very different thing. Theoretically, police and the justice department are apolitical, thus being a member of any party is obviously not being apolitical.
Are you sure that’s right? Would be more likely that you can’t be a serving MP or whatever the German equivalent is, if you are in a certain role (police officer, judge, civil servant, member of the armed forces, etc) but I’d be surprised if it meant you couldn’t simply be a paid up member of the party. Even more surprised if it only extended to the single party of the AfD.
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This is the way it reads I am afraid. As part of the executive and legislative you are of course allowed to be a member of a political party. State pressure to not alliance yourself with a political party that is represented in the Bundestag is de-facto dictating where your allegiances are…
Sorry for the Deutsch.
So according to this article, there is a specific guidance from the Ministry of the Interior stating that unless unconstitutionality of the AfD is confirmed by a court there will be generally no consequences for party members who are officials.
Wow. What a scandal.
PS: The article is also 4 years old.
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Correct, that one is, hadn’t noticed as I heard the report today.
Non the less, the question behind it has gained traction today and to me it seems that the established parties are flinging shit at the AfD to see what sticks.
I would say they are very worried.
You are correct. In fact exclusion from the police force due to party membership of a party that is actually part of the government is in itself verfassungswidrig (anticonstitutional).
They make mistake after mistake. On this path they will one day not be able to point out what is different and despicable about AfD.
This. If police officers are not allowed to be member of any party it would be a different thing, I guess.
I don’t even know how this is in Switzerland. But as nobody may be discriminated due to their political opinion, religion, sex … and on and on I would say there are party members in the police.
Just looking at the polls it seems like the FDP will get no seats, they should have stayed in the coalition and behaved like good boys and girls.
SPD vote collapsing
Hard to see how the CDU who are forecast to win most seats will form a coalition
Clearly AfD will have a new Chancellor. The best news for the world that could happen (after Trump winning the US elections of course and Kickl forming the government in Austria).