In a bid to extend its influence beyond its traditional stronghold in Eastern Germany, the AfD is repackaging its anti-immigration stance, showcasing significant electoral gains in Western cities like Duisburg, despite its extremist labeling by national intelligence.
Far-Right AfD Party Shifts Tactics to Gain Support in Western Germany
Far-Right AfD Party Shifts Tactics to Gain Support in Western Germany
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is broadening its appeal by modifying its anti-immigrant rhetoric to attract voters in the West while maintaining its core agenda.
On a pleasant spring day in Duisburg, a struggling industrial city in Western Germany, local politician Alan Imamura engaged with constituents at a bustling shopping area. Imamura, a prominent member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, expressed a newfound acceptance among voters—a stark contrast to just five years prior when he faced public hostility for his affiliation with the far-right party, which has recently been classified as extremist by Germany's domestic intelligence agency.
Historically, the AfD's support has been rooted in the former East Germany, but its recent electoral success in parts of the West, particularly highlighted during February's federal elections, indicates a significant shift in dynamics. In several neighborhoods within Imamura's district, the AfD garnered nearly 40% of the vote, suggesting an increasing resonance of its messaging among Western voters. "It's so different," Imamura remarked. "Five years ago, when I put up posters, people spat on me. Today, they say, ‘Finally.’"
Emerging over a decade ago primarily on a platform skeptical of the euro, the AfD has evolved into a party that heavily emphasizes anti-immigrant sentiment, prompting its classification as extremist. A confidential intelligence report, recently studied by Der Spiegel, highlights a deep-seated "xenophobic mindset" within the party's leadership. Notably, figures like Bjorn Höcke have been reported to invoke Nazi-era slogans while advocating for severe deportation measures.
As the AfD seeks to garner wider appeal, they are rebranding their anti-immigration rhetoric while remaining aligned with their historical agenda. While the shifting electoral landscape in Western Germany reflects changing public sentiments, the ongoing scrutiny of the party's extremist roots suggests that its transformation is being closely watched both politically and socially within Germany.
