By Elizabeth Breckenridge

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Hansen-Glucklich

Abstract

The Alternativ fuer Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) (AfD) is a far-right populist party that has quickly grown into power within the decade, particularly in Eastern German states due to their emphasis on nationalization, populist rhetoric, and attraction to voters’ fears about immigration and cultural change. The AfD has managed to mobilize strong voting support within five years, gaining parliamentary seats in the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) in 2017, and is now considered the main oppositional party to the established parties. The AfD is the first right-wing party to gain significant voting attention since 1945, capitalizing on the rise of political-right ideology. Due to the reactionary pendulum swing after post-Nazi Germany, the Penal Code outright prohibits hate speech and national-socialist ideology; however, the party has survived by walking the fine line between neo-Nazism and ultra-conservative free speech. In addition to inflammatory remarks made by AfD politicians and right-wing personalities, the media has focused its attention on political polarization as a result of widely disseminating explosive propaganda. As the AfD continues gaining traction and forming connections with other polarized and extremist factions, the coalition government endures increased fragmentation, as can also be seen in the United States and other European countries.