Growing concern about possible AfD election successes

Parties - Growing concern about possible AfD election successes

With a view to the upcoming elections in eastern Germany, the former President of the Federal Constitutional Court, Andreas Voßkuhle, has warned of the consequences of the AfD making a breakthrough. "The AfD as the strongest parliamentary group in one or more state parliaments would turn Germany's political landscape upside down. The political heads of this party are aiming for a fundamental change in the system," he told the "Tagesspiegel" (Thursday). "It won't be easy to prevent the AfD from becoming the strongest force."

The state parliaments in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg will be newly elected in September next year. In all three states, the AfD is by far the strongest force in the polls, with 34 to 35 percent in Thuringia and Saxony. Prior to this, there are European elections on June 9 and local elections in 9 of the 16 federal states. In Saxony and Thuringia, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as definitely right-wing extremist.

Democracy in Germany at risk

Voßkuhle believes that the continued existence of democracy in Germany is not assured. "It is quite possible that our Western democracy will only prove to be a short phase in the history of mankind, similar to Attic democracy, and then the dark days of totalitarianism will return," he said. "Anyone who doesn't want that should stand up for our democracy."

Klingbeil: AfD is a highly dangerous party

SPD Chairman Lars Klingbeil sees the elections and the support for the AfD as "major challenges". "We have to work hard to make the AfD smaller and the democratic parties bigger," he told the Böhme-Zeitung newspaper (Thursday). "The best way to do this is to solve the tasks we have been set and take people's everyday concerns seriously." These range from affordable energy to good childcare and good nursing care.

"The AfD is a highly dangerous party because it incites, polarizes and wants to divide this country," warned Klingbeil. For him, the following applies: "Anyone who takes on responsibility in the AfD and runs for a seat in the state or federal parliaments is, in my eyes, a convinced right-wing extremist." This is already clear from the party's platform. "But when people tell me at the information stand that they are now voting for AfD because they are angry with the democratic parties, that doesn't make them right-wing." He wants to win back these disappointed citizens politically.

Thuringia's interior minister expresses concern

Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) also expressed concern about the situation in his state: "The right-wing extremists of the AfD around Björn Höcke are trying to undermine democracy from within by any means necessary." Höcke is the AfD state leader and parliamentary group leader in the Thuringian state parliament. "We democrats must face up to the fight, for which we are still ill-equipped," Maier told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The SPD politician advocated a clarification of the article on the election of the Minister President in the state constitution. In his opinion, the current wording does not rule out the possibility of a candidate being elected in the third ballot with a single vote, even though all other MPs vote against them. "We have to make the constitution weatherproof," said Maier.

Stephan Brandner, deputy federal chairman of the AfD from Thuringia, criticized that "the constitution is being bent here because the old parties are afraid of losing their posts and influence". He said it was frightening to see what means the Minister of the Interior was prepared to use to circumvent the will of the voters. "Here you can see who the true undemocrats and enemies of the constitution are," explained Brandner.

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1. The SPD, along with other democratic parties in Germany, is expressing growing concern about the potential successes of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in upcoming elections in eastern Germany.
2. Andreas Voßkuhle, former President of the Federal Constitutional Court, has warned that an AfD breakthrough in one or more state parliaments could drastically change Germany's political landscape.
3. In the upcoming elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg, the AfD is currently leading in the polls, with support levels ranging from 34 to 35%, according to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
4. Lars Klingbeil, the SPD Chairman, sees the elections and the AfD's popularity as major challenges and has urged his party to work harder to increase support for democratic parties.
5. In his view, the AfD is a highly dangerous party that incites, polarizes, and aims to divide the country, but Klingbeil believes that many of its supporters are not right-wing extremists but rather disappointed citizens who feel unheard by democratic parties.
6. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier has expressed concern about the AfD's attempts to undermine democracy from within and has advocated clarifying the article on the election of the Minister President in the state constitution to prevent a single-vote candidate from being elected in the third ballot.
7. Stephan Brandner, deputy federal chairman of the AfD from Thuringia, has criticized the SPD's efforts to change the constitution, claiming that the party is afraid of losing power and influence.
8. The ongoing debate about the AfD's role in German politics has raised concerns about the protection of democracy and the constitution in Germany, particularly in light of the upcoming European and local elections in June and September.

Source: www.stern.de