In recent years, Germany has witnessed a notable surge in the popularity of the right-wing populist party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). The party’s rise has been successful largely due to the German electorate’s dissatisfaction with mainstream political parties, concerns over immigration, and economic insecurities. As AfD continues to gain ground, it presents significant challenges to democracy and appears to foster growing partisanship in Germany.
 

The Rise to Power

The AfD Party was founded in 2013 as a response to the Eurozone bailout, originally positioning itself as a Eurosceptic party. While initially focused on this issue, the party gained support by embracing a more nationalistic view, often targeting immigration [1]. The party frequently critiques Germany's immigration policies and the growing “mixing of cultures” due to them [2]. 

After four years, the AfD gained parliamentary representation in 2017. The party continues to grow its support in elections, as the most recent election shows one in five Germans voted for the AfD. Their popularity has risen most notably in Eastern Germany, where economic disparities and historical divisions persist [3]. These divisions were caused by the split in Germany from 1945 until 1991, where West Germany flourished economically compared to the East. AfD exploits these differences by blaming current politicians and promising to bring immediate change. While the party has been gaining ground, it is still not the leading party in Germany, with other “mainstream parties” rejecting its claims. Despite this, the party has still been successful in tapping into widespread concerns over Germany's Open-Door immigration policies, which the party argues have disrupted traditional German culture and society [4]. Through this argument, the AfD has been able to attract voters who feel as if immigration has hurt their German lifestyle and identity.

Their Belief System

The AfD has also capitalized on economic anxieties, globalization, and fears over social spending. As globalization continues, many of the party’s supporters believe that they have been left behind and are not adequately represented by mainstream parties. Globalization often leads to unemployment, with jobs usually being moved overseas for cheaper labor. Hence, they feel as if the AfD is the only one that can halt this effect of globalization [5]. The party successfully frames “elites” as those responsible for the issues that they are attempting to fix. They claim that the elites are disconnected from the struggle of everyday citizens, a common theme amongst right-wing populist movements worldwide [6]. 

Nationalism is at the core of AfD’s ideology, with the party framing immigrants and minorities as threats to German identity. Through the open-door policy put in place by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany saw an uptick in immigration as many sought refuge and asylum from countries facing war and other catastrophes, mainly in the Middle East [7]. Their idea of nationalism precipitates anti-immigrant rhetoric. They feel that their citizens have more legitimacy than migrants, and push ideas of sending migrants back to their home countries, as well as enforcing strict measures against reasons for seeking asylum [8]. Furthermore, the party has used nationalism to redefine Germany's historical narrative, urging Germans to move beyond their historical guilt [9]. Less than a century ago, Nazi Germany committed the largest genocide in modern history through the Holocaust, systematically targeting Jews as outsiders. The Nazi regime pushed an “us versus them” narrative to justify the persecution. In line with right-wing populist views, the AfD argues that Germans should not feel continued shame for the atrocities. They have gone so far as using old Nazi slogans such as “Everything For Germany”, allowing the opposition to draw comparisons between the two [10]. Recently, the U.S. government official and richest man in the world Elon Musk—accused of using the infamous Nazi salute—has come out in support of this party. The support of Musk may allow the party to gain international support from other right-wing populists, like the Trump-led Republican Party in the U.S., increasing their visibility and legitimacy. 

The Democratic Dilemma

The AfD also fails to work with the political opposition, fostering an environment of polarization while sowing distrust in democratic institutions. The party frequently attacks the mainstream media and disputes the idea of judicial independence, claiming the judiciary is run by elites [12]. The party supports policies that may weaken checks and balances, including the limiting of judicial review, press freedom, and using direct democracy to bypass institutional oversight [13]. AfD may look to other countries experiencing similar rises, such as Viktor Orban’s success in Hungary, and attempt to follow a similar path to gaining influence. This potentially larger alliance leads to the possibility of democratic backsliding on a greater level, as it allows for widespread power for a few individuals. Without a proper system to ensure democracy is represented, the party can stick to its own ideology instead of compromising for the people. 

The Larger Growth in Society

The rise of AfD aligns with broader trends of right-wing populism in Europe, such as the growing influence of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France [14]. This growth in populism threatens organizations such as the European Union as it promotes nationalist policies over international cooperation. As electorates around Europe are enamored by this idea of populism, they risk losing global collaboration on large-scale issues. If European countries continue in this direction, it could result in widespread democratic backsliding, as these parties’ governance strategies undermine democratic institutions, the rule of law, and checks and balances. This shift towards populism threatens internationally accepted norms that have been in place since the end of World War II. 

Germany is at a critical juncture as parties battle over populism and the traditional way of governance since the country reunited in 1989. The rise of the AfD reflects societal concerns around globalization, immigration, and rejection of mainstream politics. However, its growth threatens democratic stability as well as the stability of the European Union. As the election shows the power of the AfD– who placed second in the polls–every German must have a say in which way they lead their country. Do they feed into this right-wing populism, or fight for a more democratic system?