Germany’s firewall was meant to hold the far right at bay. It may have done the reverse
Summary
In September, the German state of Saxony-Anhalt will hold an election that could see the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party win a majority and govern alone for the first time. This would break Germany’s post-World War II political tradition of keeping far-right parties out of power and could have big effects on both Germany and Europe.Key Facts
- The AfD is officially labeled as a right-wing extremist group by Germany’s intelligence service.
- The party polls at up to 42% in Saxony-Anhalt, potentially enough to win an absolute majority in the state parliament.
- State governments in Germany control important areas like education, police, and media.
- AfD plans include changing school history to downplay war crimes and cutting funding for anti-racism efforts.
- An AfD-led state government could influence public jobs and media toward its ideology.
- Winning a state government would allow AfD to send representatives to Germany’s Bundesrat (upper house), impacting federal politics.
- The party’s success could weaken EU unity by opposing climate policies and military support for Ukraine.
- A far-right win in Germany might encourage similar parties in other European countries ahead of key elections.
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