Alternative für Deutschland. From the streets to the Parliament? (original) (raw)
The rise of Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its impact on the German party system
2019
This thesis mainly aims to bridge the gap in the literature and provide a unified explanation of the rise of AfD (generally considered as a far-right party), its effects on the German party system and the Bundestag. Research about this is important from a European point of view because AfD is threatening the stability and existence of the European Common Currency, the European Union, its principles of solidarity and unity and the benefits which these bring with them for their members. This thesis evaluates the necessary theories in order for AfD and the context in which it operates to be understood within the framework of far-right associated ideologies, voting models and electoral systems. Then this thesis goes on to explain the more practical side of AfD's context. This is done through an evaluation of the Federal Republic of Germany, the German electoral system, the role of the parties as derived from the German Constitution, its self-defence mechanism, a historical insight into the German party system, the reasons behind the absence of earlier far-right party successes and today's party positions over some of the most relevant issues in the context of the rise of AfD. Then this thesis goes on to identify the most fitting description of AfD's ideology, the issues which triggered its creation, the scope behind its creation, the backgrounds of the founders and early leaders, its internal conflicts, the changes which occurred as a result of these rifts, the issues which led it to become the main opposition party, its effect in the Bundestag, its effect on the policies of other parties and other controversies which some of its exponents and members led it into.
New Populism in Germany - Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)
2020
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is reaping more success today in Germany than the other parties in the political sphere. In this present work I intend to approach this new and successful party that arises from the right (its founding members belonged to the CDU) but is considered from the beginning a populist, Eurosceptic and anti-systemic party. I will first define three basic concepts: populism, anti-system parties and Euroscepticism, and then I will immerse myself fully in the historical events that date back to 2010 which led to the formation of AfD. Later I will mention the refugee crisis of 2015 that made this party reach its highest peak in the Bundestag elections in 2017 and finally I will analyze the present of the party, its last designation of presidents and then I inquire about AfD voters in Germany: what are their interests and what moves them to vote for a right-wing party, with a radical and extremist tendency, a phenomenon that has not happened in Germany since World War II. Undoubtedly, for this work there was a lot of research in academic articles, essays, books in paper and electronic versions and mainly in German and other newspapers, that showed from the zero hour the impact that gave AfD in the German society, in Merkel’s government and in the rest of Europe, generating a mixture of insecurity, fears, return to the past and self-criticism of certain sectors of politics, who are wondering until today what wrong decisions have been taken in order to generate this discontent in a certain part of German society, almost 30 years after its re-unification. This society is once again inclined to vote for a party with racist, xenophobic and anti-immigration phrases, whose members (some of them) evoke for a (new) racial cleansing of Germany, want to return to the nation-state borders in Europe, relativize the Holocaust or minimize the Nazi past. AfD is a party that is indifferent to the catastrophes of the past (from both Germany and Europe), is aimed at the "common" German citizen, but from its manipulation from fear (fear towards the immigrant, towards the loss of identity German, towards the future of the nation). Will the German society and its politicians be able to react before it's too late?
The AfD and their Sympathizers: Finally a right-wing populist movement in Germany?
2014
Is the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) the exponent of a successful right-wing populist movement in Germany? By analysing the positions, the discursive links and the sympathisers of the AfD, this article aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the new party and its environment. The link to populism research offers a conceptual framework for a mixed-method study which focuses on important aspects of the party's history, self-description and position in Germany's public discourse as well as its supporters by analysing two sets of quantitative and qualitative data. We argue that the AfD follows a nuanced and diverse communication strategy and can be regarded as a functional equivalent for a right-wing populist party in a country where right-wing politics are strongly stigmatised.
The AfD and its Sympathisers: Finally a Right-Wing Populist Movement in Germany?
Is the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) the exponent of a successful right-wing populist movement in Germany? By analysing the positions, the discursive links and the sympathisers of the AfD, this article aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the new party and its environment. The link to populism research offers a conceptual framework for a mixed-method study which focuses on important aspects of the party's history, self-description and position in Germany's public discourse as well as its supporters by analysing two sets of quantitative and qualitative data. We argue that the AfD follows a nuanced and diverse communication strategy and can be regarded as a functional equivalent for a right-wing populist party in a country where right-wing politics are strongly stigmatised.
The AfD: Finally a Successful Right-Wing Populist Eurosceptic Party for Germany?
Within less than two years of being founded by disgruntled members of the governing CDU, the newly-formed Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has already performed extraordinary well in the 2013 General election, the 2014 EP election, and a string of state elections. Highly unusually by German standards, it campaigned for an end to all efforts to save the Euro and argued for a re-configuration of Germany’s foreign policy. This seems to chime with the recent surge in far right voting in Western Europe, and the AfD was subsequently described as right-wing populist and europhobe. On the basis of the party’s manifesto and of hundreds of statements the party has posted on the internet, this article demonstrates that the AfD does indeed occupy a position at the far-right of the German party system, but it is currently neither populist nor does it belong to the family of Radical Right parties. Moreover, its stance on European Integration is more nuanced than expected and should best be classified as soft eurosceptic.
Both in Germany and abroad, the commentary on the recent elections in Germany has been dominated by the analysis of the results scored by the anti-immigrant and anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD), particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the country. The party had been almost certain to make it to the Bundestag long before the 24 Septem-ber elections: the result it has just scored was only slightly better than what the pre-election polls suggested. The results scored by the two mass parties, the CDU/CSU and the SPD, were much worse than the poll predictions. It is these parties' results that offer an insight into the evolution of German voters' political identities. Moreover, they are of key importance when assessing and predicting the upcoming events on the German political scene. In the short term, it is unlikely that the old parties will break up or that new ones will emerge. However, it is likely that the traditional mass parties will continue to lose their electoral base. Parties with a distinct ideology such as the AfD, which is likely to be an uncompromising opposition party, may continue to gain ground. Due to the AfD's presence in the Bundestag, the language of public debate in Germany is likely to become increasingly aggressive, and the narratives of the AfD and the remaining parties are diverging to an ever greater extent.
Shifting Narratives of the Alternative for Germany
2024
This article examines the evolving narratives of the German political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its potential as a hybrid threat. Through narrative manipulation, the AfD has demonstrated its ability to influence public discourse and distort reality via disinformation dissemination. The AfD established in 2013 in response to the financial crisis and dissatisfaction with the European Union, has transitioned into a populist party, and along with this change, it has also changed its narrative. This shift was notably evident during the migrant crisis in 2015, showcasing the party's adeptness at evoking fear and animosity among German voters. The AfD's narratives have been for years similar to those of the Russian Federation, which has used almost identical narratives on some topics. The German party is consequently working with Russian politicians to reshape democratic politics within Europe, and the AfD is accordingly acting as a hybrid threat to the entire European Union. The study is based on a discourse analysis of interviews conducted with German experts on the topic as well as a content analysis of selected German media to explore these narrative dynamics and their broader implications.
The Fall an Rise of the AfD: Windows of Opportunity and Political Culture
POP - Political Observer on Populism, 2016
Dr. André Haller analyses the ideological evolution of Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its communicative strategy, the role played by the so called ‘refugees crisis’, and the possibility for right-wing populism to finally thrive in Germany, immune to right-wing populist Pied Pipers since the aftermath of World War II.