“I have had the pleasure of engaging in meaningful dialogue with German people who are completely against everything the AfD stands for, but also feel that something needs to be done in terms of refugees running wild in Germany.”
In a move that has shaken up the country, Germany’s Election Day yielded some rather interesting results. The Alternative for Germany (AfD)—a far-right political party—came in third, bringing in 13% of the votes. This marks the first time in almost 60 years that a far-right party in Germany will sit in parliament. Following the results, protests broke out across the country. The AfD is anti-immigration and anti-Muslim, prompting many within the country to view them as a frightening resurgence of Nazism. This political shakeup also reflects an uprising of German citizens who are dissatisfied with the current policies on immigrants and refugees. They’ve vowed to come for Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding her policies and are ready to “take back our country and our people.”
The surprising German election results show the extent to which many German citizens oppose the record number of refugees that have been admitted into the country in recent years. The AfD itself is only 4 years old. They rose to power with strong anti-immigration rhetoric. Many within Germany view the party as racist, as they have a pretty intense sense of nationalism. The party believes that ethnic Germans should have more rights than immigrants and are against gay marriage.
In a surprising twist, chairwoman Frauke Petry walked out on the AfD and made the announcement that she would not sit with the party in parliament. Instead, she will sit as an Independent. According to her, the AfD has a decent amount of dissent within its ranks that needs to be dealt with. Petry was considered the more moderate voice in the AfD. Nevertheless, the AfD has vowed to be an opposing force for Angela Merkel.
In an upset election reminiscent of our own 2016 Presidential Election that saw President Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton, it’s important to examine the cause. How did far-right parties that lie dormant in Germany for 60 years find themselves taking a seat at the table in 2017?
The liberal policy of admitting refugees into Germany has created an atmosphere of resentment among its citizens. With the influx of refugees and immigrants into Germany came terrorist attacks and rising crime rates. The landscape has changed for many Germans. I have had the pleasure of engaging in meaningful dialogue with German people who are completely against everything the AfD stands for, but also feel that something needs to be done in terms of refugees running wild in Germany.
I’ve heard about how certain areas have become dangerous to frequent because of the refugee population. Many of those seeking asylum in Germany are grown men of fighting age. Some of those men have gone on to conspire or even carry out violent attacks against German citizens. These are serious concerns that when ignored or brushed aside, create the need for strong voices that will deliver rhetoric necessary to offer people what they want; change.
Much like the United States, enough people weren’t willing to accept the status quo any longer.
