Is that the end of the AfD?

Have we seen the last of the AfD?

The political group symbolized by the red arrow consists of two individuals with blue eyes. They and their high-ranking members are repeatedly facing legal issues and conflicts with the government. This includes Sahra Wagenknecht. It feels as if this is a sign of impending demise.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has legitimately identified the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a suspected right-wing extremist party. Höcke has faced court multiple times because of use of SA slogans and incitement against the people. The top candidates of the AfD are being investigated for bribery, and the German parliament has removed the immunity of one of its members due to disciplinary actions from the country's military. The AfD is currently caught in a barrage of legal issues and is struggling to remain afloat.

To begin with, the party kept their top candidate Maximilian Krah hidden from the public, like a drunken relative visiting in-laws. However, Krah recently came up with a strange distraction tactic - he drove up to the campaign launch in Holzkirchen, Bavaria, in a sports car, was welcomed enthusiastically by his supporters, and cheered on by right-wing media, like the AfD fan magazine "Germany Courier". Krah has been trying to project an image of a sophisticated bon vivant for some time now.

Meanwhile, Björn Höcke is playing the role of a passionate gremlin from Thuringia who constantly pushes the limits of the law and becomes emotional when he runs into trouble. The chairman of the AfD has been ordered to pay €13,000 for using the SA slogan "Alles für Deutschland". He asked rhetorically in Halle, "Don't I have any human dignity?"

This hoax is a dull comedy show. It's clear that Höcke believes his supporters have a limited understanding of the law. It's possible that a few people might buy into his claim of ignorance regarding the slogan. However, my survey of a group of acquaintances, many of whom are well-versed in legal matters, confirmed that no one had that particular slogan on their radar. Cathy Hummels also seems unaware of it. The Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution did not initially have that slogan in their list of anti-constitutional symbols and slogans. This doesn't affect the legal status, but it does help perpetuate the belief that "You can't say anything in Germany anymore!"

So, whenever Höcke shamelessly brings up the slogan during speeches or performance pieces, he's trying to convey the idea, "Look, my loyal German people, we're getting closer to a time when you won't even be allowed to wish your beloved fatherland well!" Or as Höcke stated in court, "The Nazis also said 'Good day'." Historically, that wasn't true - the Nazis actually said "Heil Hitler".

The success of Höcke's self-pity tour is demonstrated by the casual remark of a taxi driver overheard by a journalist. "Leave the boy alone!" Presumably referring to the idea that these charges are minor, and he's a decent guy.

The historical taboos in our penal code are not set in stone. They may even be considered annoying by some people. Hubert Aiwanger is one example - he was annoyed by the sensitivity of critics. The culture of remembrance, the story of a country, serves as a pivot point for nationalists and revisionists to pull in one direction, while others pull in the other. Another constant throughout history.

But Höcke's self-pitying act is starting to wear thin. Other prominent figures in the AfD appear just as exhausted: MP and EU candidate Petr Bystron was about to present himself in the German parliament when police showed up and searched his residence in the parliament, his office in Munich, and even his home on Mallorca. The accusation: bribery.

In contrast, EU candidate Maximilian Krah is required to run in the European elections despite ongoing investigations by the Dresden public prosecutor's office. Initially, the suspicions were linked to Krah's employee, but now Krah himself is said to have accepted money from China.

In each of these allegations, the AfD believes that the "left-wing pig system" is to blame: the public prosecutors' offices act on orders, the timing is malicious, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is controlled by distant forces, and the judicial system is biased towards the left. They always blame the other side.

When the police constantly show up at your neighbor's front door, a casual onlooker may start to wonder what's going on, particularly among middle-class supporters of the AfD. Not only do these individuals want more nuclear power and fewer immigrants, but they also believe in the rule of law and the preservation of the constitution. It's no surprise then that mainstream society might be disturbed by those within the AfD who betray their country and conspire to recieve bribes, akin to a villain in a low-budget evening drama. Indeed, the leadership of the AfD is treading carefully when it comes to defending Maximilian Krah, which is telling in itself.

Beyond the legal troubles facing the AfD, they must face strategic challenges as well. Thanks to the BSW, the AfD now finds itself in a competition with a similarly Russia-friendly party - albeit one without the hatemongering associations. Other voters to the right but not necessarily far right might be swayed by the conservative CDU, which favors limiting immigration, ensuring citizens' security, and creating a sense of cultural identity - all appealing to some AfD supporters.

With the SPD interior minister examining the possibility of processing asylum seekers in the fashion of the British model in Rwanda, there's a chance some AfD voters who had previously switched from the SPD might return. This inevitably leaves the question of where the remaining AfD supporters will go.

The specter of brown-blue will persist

The harsh measures of the constitution are hardening a dedicated group of AfD members, although there are signs of rifts and splintering within the party. Based on recent polls, the party has lost two percentage points, but they remain at 15%.

Anyone who thinks the remains of the AfD will fade away is mistaken; the success of far-right movements is a symptom of a larger crisis encompassing the West: the deterioration of modernity, tolerance, freedom, and people's right to self-determination. From Russian aggression to China's machinations to the sudden popularity of Hamas among some leftists, the rise of the far right is part of a global trend that explicitly targets these fundamental values.

The specter of brown-blue will not disappear anytime soon. The year 2024 will be an explosive year, particularly in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg.