Germany’s right-wing party (AFD) is winning huge support within key local elections across eastern Germany. This support is unprecedented, as it hasn’t been seen for a far-right movement since the 1940s. As election season for them is also ramping up, a lot of citizens both inside Germany and abroad are worried about this sudden change.
Germany works on a parliamentary based system, which means they have a main chamber of representatives for the whole 299 districts throughout Germany, and an executive (Chancellor) that is elected by the parliament, Bundestag, not the people. German elections happen in September, on the weekends and the polling places can be found in many of the same local places that American citizens find them. However, there is a large percentage of Germans who choose to do mail-in ballots, leading them to having a much higher voter participation rate.
When they vote, they cast two votes. The first one will be for a specific candidate from their district, and this one will account for 299 seats in the parliament, which should be half. The next one is more complicated, the individual will vote for a specific party, and then the total percentage the party has will reward them with a certain number of seats of the remaining. However, there can be times when multiple parties receive a larger number of votes than seats remaining, causing more seats to be added to the parliament. Currently the seats have been raised from 598 to well over 700. This system means that one party could win a lot more seats from the second vote than they could from the first one, and the parliament will then decide who the chancellor will be once the government forms.
This all means that if the AFD can get a strong enough hold on key German districts this year, then when the election comes next year, they could steal a huge section of the parliament from the other parties. The AFD are a newer party, rising due to concerns and complaints over key points from Germany’s recent governments. Key issues include the war in Ukraine, education and most importantly immigration. As more and more people from the Middle East, North Africa and the east pour into Germany and other neighboring countries, there have been large waves of anti-immigrant sentiment rising all over Europe. With a more recent example being in France, as a far-right party’s attempt at a victory was narrowly squashed by a leftist coalition.
Some more specifics on the AFD, coming from their own description, want to focus on a few key points. They are very keen on resetting and bringing forth a newfound German identity and pride, reclaiming a strong love for Germany after the shame that was felt after the Nazis. They also are staunchly against immigration, preferring instead to allow a few skilled immigrants who will learn German and accept the German identity, rather than mass immigration. Along with that, and although they are pro-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), they have been critical about not embargoing Russia despite what they are doing in Ukraine, and don’t see a reason to be against Vladimir Putin. They are also against same sex marriage and prefer the more civil unions.
This has many civilians worried. However, as many in East Germany remember times of grandeur, and even claim to prefer the old communist government to the current one, as the AFD continues to soar. The left-alternative (Left Party) is also making ground in key German states; however, they are also against mass-immigration into the country. Time will only tell what may happen to one America’s closest allies in Europe, but it is still down to the people and their vote.
