Harbinger Rising: Implications of AfD’s Victory in Germany

News Analysis

The populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) has made unprecedented breakthrough in state elections, emerging as the dominant political force in eastern Germany and a harbinger for change in the country.

Many news reports and politicians worldwide have described AfD’s win as the first time a far-right party has secured a state election in Germany since the Nazi era.

But how accurate is this portrayal? And is there anything to AfD’s claims that their victory is a symptom of the political mainstream’s chronic neglect of the common worker’s concerns, especially regarding immigration? What does it mean for the future of German politics?

Analysts say that the AfD’s unprecedented success and growing influence are reshaping Germany’s political future. They argue that the results have dismantled Germany’s political mainstream, opening the door for new politics to gain influence, including a new left-conservative, anti-establishment, anti-immigration party.

However, some have questioned how far the current ruling coalition might go in employing repressive and censorial tactics to maintain its grip on power.

Powerful Negotiating Position

On Sept. 1, the party emerged as the dominant political force in recent state elections in eastern Germany, securing nearly 33 percent of the vote in Thuringia and almost 31 percent in Saxony.