Right currents: AfD dominates the political landscape in East Germany
Right currents: AfD dominates the political landscape in East Germany
In the current political landscape of Germany, the AfD is increasingly becoming a dominant force, not only in the east, but also in the west of the country. According to political scientist Manès Weisskirch, who is researching at the TU Dresden, the image of the AfD as a purely East German party is misleading. The influence of the AfD can also be felt in the economically stricken industrial regions of the West, which the analysis of Weisskircher indicates. Many rural municipalities in the east that suffer from a strongly decreasing population are particularly shaped by the AfD, which often represents the only political presence on site, as he emphasized in a conversation with APA. In these communities, the other parties are weak and fight for visibility.
A central aspect of the rise of the AfD in East Germany are deeply rooted economic and social problems that exist since reunification. Weisskircher identifies economic uncertainty, a strong rejection of migration and the feeling of being of many East German, second -class citizens than long -term factors. At the municipal level, these circumstances mean that the AfD in regions such as Zittau or Hoyerswerda is particularly strong, where the population has dropped drastically since the turn, and where many women have migrated.
The election profits of the AfD
In the Bundestag election, the AfD achieved impressive 32 percent of the votes in the five East German federal states, more than the CDU and SPD, which only won 18.7 and 11.6 percent. Weisskircher predicts that the AfD continues to exist as a strong political force in the countries of the former GDR. The perception that the AfD is not responsible as a fundamental opposition in the government could benefit its voters, as these are not impressed by allegations of right -wing extremism. The central election motive remains the rejection of migration, which, in view of the low migrant proportion in the affected regions, represents an ironic turn, says Weisskircher.In order to counter the rise of the AfD, experts such as Weisskircher call for an improvement in the political output of other parties to reduce the AfD electorate. The challenges for the other political groups are huge, especially in the face of the existing social and economic crises.
For detailed information and analyzes on these developments and the role of the AfD in East Germany, we refer to the comprehensive study by Weisskircher in his book "The AfD as the new People's Party of the East?" Published by de Gruyter and further assessments in an interview with vienna.at .
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| Ort | Ostdeutschland, Deutschland |
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