Right Turn or the New Alternative for Germany

The article looks at the phenomenon of the modern right-wing radicalism in Germany. Special attention is paid to the emergence of the young and successful Alternative for Germany party, which became the largest opposition political force in the Bundestag after 2017 German federal election. Alternative for Germany is the first radical far-right party to get a substantial representation in parliament in the German post-war history. Firstly, this case shows the gradual legalization of far-right ideology in German society. Secondly, Alternative for Germany success can be seen as a part of possible German party political system conversion towards its further fragmentation against the backdrop of the CDU/CSU and the SPD low popularity and their inner-party disputes. “Undemocratic liberalism” of the political establishment on issues such as immigration and European integration also plays its role.  Finally, the entry of the far-right Alternative for Germany into the Bundestag presents a new challenge to Germany’s politicians and changes the political landscape in general, complicating the party contention, improving the discussions quality and shifting political agenda to the right. However, a number of land election campaigns and especially the outcome of the European Parliament election have demonstrated obvious difficulties for the party when it is trying to build a political coalition as well as have shown the AfD limitations in the context of the modern Germany political process. The lack of strategic perspective, the lability of the party voters self-identity along with the establishment stepping up and adopting or intercepting some of the political slogans hamper the ratings of the  German far right. Neither the intensification of the populist rhetoric nor the drift to the political center can help AfD to overcome its difficulties. The author pays special attention to the substantial rise in protest and nationalist sentiments in Eastern Germany that is reflected in the achievements of ultranationalist Pegida political movement, AfD and even neo-Nazi NPD party and also highlights profound differences between modern West and East Germany.

About author:

Anna S. BADAEVA, Cand. Sci. (Polit.), Research Associate, Sector of Political Theory.