A visit to a stronghold of Germany's far-right party | DW News

The far-right Alternative for Germany party remains strong in the east, but has suffered small losses nationwide — and will not be involved in any coalition talks, as it remains a pariah for all other parties.

Germany's eastern state of Saxony bucked the nationwide downward trend: The Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the strongest party there in Sunday's general election, clearly ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In neighboring Thuringia, the AfD also narrowly beat the Social Democrats to become the largest single party.

Why is the AfD so strong in the east? We went to the city of Görlitz to find out.

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[happyhippo]

Many of the countries under former Soviet rule feel that the West has taken advantage of them. Whether that is actually the case or not is another question. But if we don't manage to address this feeling, it will continue to create serious trouble.

[ryanscottlogan]

They need a charismatic young leader in order to gain ground in Germany.

[stefanosnikolaidis]

Here in Greece we have a party that says exactly that, that we closed our coal mines while Germany keeps their's...these parties are not good for the future

[oliverstianhugaas]

So by listening to the wishes and worries of the people, they are getting votes? Crazy.

[martingrey]

So basically they are the West Virginia of Germany. I get it.

[shinlanten]

Sounds just like the Rust Belt and Appalachia regions in the U.S.

[col]

Seems a little too generalised, surely any AfD success was limited mainly to Thuringia and parts of Saxony? Further north in the former GDR states the SPD did much better, winning Angela Merkel's old seat in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for example. Would be interesting to know if any German commentators can explain this as DW seems not to have made the effort here just going for the more sensationalist, "Shock-horror AfD wins in the East!" headline when the situation is actually much more nuanced?

[dmarl]

Thank you, DW. It's not as thorough as I would prefer to be but it did give me a glance to what the party and their voters are about.
I've always been a minority throughout my life, but I feel for them. Their fear of being left behind in their own country may not be justifiable for many (including myself), but yet it is real for them. Thus, despite not agreeing with the views of the party, they had no other choice but voted for the party (they think) best representing their interests.
I hope that whoever governs will have an inclusive program to address their concerns and be able to bring people closer together.

[autobahnmensch]

The building @ 7:11... I took a picture of as a tourist back in 2005, almost 17 years ago. It certainly looks like this since at least 1989, maybe since before WWII! It's no wonder people in this part of Germany feel left behind and are looking for an alternative.

[jaapfolmer]

The AfD lost about a fifth of its support, also lost in Berlin and its heartland has shrunk to the south of the former GDR. Is there really reason to sound the alarm?
Reason to worry about the social implications of the necessary shift to renewables, sure. But that is not necessarily the same thing.

[Shabakawn]

It seems as an American living in Berlin several years, "The Far Right" is a term used to minimalize and de-humanize those who MAY otherwise have valid points.

[Mike-brzt]

I look forward to your program on the far left in Germany and a visit to their stronghold.

[hizzlemobizzle]

A far right Germany. What could go wrong?

[coolbreeze.-mortemadfasc]

This is literally the right wing playbook everywhere.

[Frankishsaxon]

Lol they aren’t even far right they are kosher nationalism.

[VaucluseVanguard]

Far right or just traditional conservatives?

[kel]

7 minutes and couldn't even mention one of the scary policies of this party we're meant to be afraid

[NoonyJW]

Tends to be a pendulum effect with former Soviet republic’s from totalitarian left to authoritarian right views

[nobodyanybody]

Need to balance between economical needs and social needs. Invest in education, invest in people so that talented people could lead the country. Keep a watchful eye on corruption and severely punish them. They are the rot of a nation.

[geta]

look how far right places looks like: traditional, safe, clean etc