Rise of the far-right: Germany at a tipping point ? | To the Point

Germany is reckoning the with the results of regional elections that have many questioning whether German history is rearing its ugly head.

For the first time since Nazi rule, right-wing extremists have won a regional election in Germany - in the small eastern state of Thuringia.

The Alternative for Germany party (AfD) also came in second place in neighboring Saxony. Other populists also snapped up votes by promising to stop immigration and arms deliveries to Ukraine.

So what does this mean for the future of Europe's largest economy, and its relation to the world?

This week on To The Point we’re looking at "The rise of the far-right. Is Germany at a tipping point?"
Our guests:
Wolfgang Merkel, Political scientist.
Matthew Karnitschnig, POLITICO's chief Europe correspondent.
Nadine Lindner, correspondent in Deutschlandradio’s Berlin bureau.

00:00 The AfD platform
02:50 Taboo was broken when AfD joined German parliament years ago
04:00 In 15 EU countries, right-wing populists are already part of governments
06:00 The AfD’s success is very closely tied to the topic of migration
07:00 AfD is here to stay, has a strategy of damaging the CDU
08:30 Why is the AfD so successful?
09:50 There are certain similarities between BSW and AfD
10:20 BSW partly resembles the Socialist Party in Denmark, except for on migration
11:20 BSW wants to freeze the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
13:50 Thuringia & Saxony have almost no “foreigners” living there; just 8%
14:40 CDU is getting tougher on migration politics
17:00 Expectations of voters in Saxony and Thuringia
18:23 AfD is here to stay
18:40 Right wing populist parties are successful all over Europe
19:40 The migration topic won’t be solved soon
21:00 Firewalls against the AfD will stand, no coalitions with the party foreseeable
23:15 Can you ignore one-third of voters?
24:30 Large numbers of young people voting AfD
25:00 The AfD certainly is not a follow up to the Nazi NSDAP

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[oddvardmyrnes]

One thing is more dangerous than a single party, is ignoring the will of the people. The people go to the edges when times are bad. This is a historic fact. The best thing is to turn them into governing partners, so their REAL policies are exposed. Just as it did in Austria. Obey the people!

[Dorr]

nothing wrong with wanting to stop illegal immigration!

[summer]

As long as the main political parties are seen as incompetent and out of touch with voters, people will continue to vote AFD.

[phoenix]

Is this democracy? The people tell you what policies they want and then the establishment try to "deal" with the party they elected?

[dpie]

Swede here. My recommendation is to involve them in a coalition and let them be part of the political process. This will take away their “victim” role and they will become accountable.

[virgiliovargas]

Why don't you worry as much with terrorists killing innocents?

[MarkJohnson-zyfd]

The characterization of the AfD as “right-wing extremist” is childish. Deal with the issues the AfD raises.

[jonsnow]

The media is freaking out about people voting lmao

[garylines]

What makes them extremists did they blow up a pipe line or support wars in other country

[slanginandbangingtactical]

Ignoring the will of the people, and calling everyone an extremist who votes a different way then you is more dangerous then a single party

[merkur]

Democracy = the will of the people...how democratic is trying to stop it?

[Darkurge]

Maybe time to listen to the people instead of ignoring them and calling them racist.

[siryoutuber]

Is the media afraid of democracy? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Pvt_Hudson]

You deal with it by repsecting the democratic system.

[nathanwhite]

How about listening to your people instead of creating consent.

[bunbwre]

If they are such a large group of people, maybe they should be asking how they are going to deal with you.

[stormleader_r]

Instead of calling names angry people looking for alternatives to bad policies - and this is not only migration, but green policies that are destroying the German economy, woke BS, wrong covid policies that no one took responsibility for, e.t.c, the main stream parties and medias should apology and change those policies. They should also get more tough on Russia and really help Ukraine to take back its lands. If that didn't happen soon, most and most people will lost fate in those parties and will vote extreme just to punish them and to send message.

[jonsnow]

If bring anti mass immigration is ethno nationalism then so be it

[semeona.k]

MSM:- Far right extremists
US:- Why?
MSM:- They dont want to fund war in Ukraine and want curb migration.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[johnpostlethwaite]

Democracy obeys the people! Who are the'we' who decides that 30+% are not represented?