Scholar Warns Approaching Critical Moment

Voting process - Scholar Warns Approaching Critical Moment

AfD Gains Most Votes in Brandenburg's European and Municipal Elections

In the European and municipal elections held in Brandenburg, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has emerged as the party with the most votes. With the counting of all voting districts complete, the AfD, a right-wing extremist-linked state branch, obtained 25.7% and 27.5% of the votes, respectively. The party’s performance was particularly strong in the Spree-Neiße district where it gained over 40% of the votes in the municipal elections. On the other hand, the parties that are part of the federal government's traffic light coalition saw a significant decline in their vote share.

According to political scientist Dr. Radvan, there is a clear approval for simplistic, non-solidaristic solutions to social issues. He believes that this approval starts at 30% support for right-wing parties, not just at 50%. Therefore, to counter this trend, people need to make the benefits of democracy even clearer, especially in comparison to authoritarian regimes.

Dr. Radvan further states that it is the responsibility of democratic leaders to actively promote the positive aspects of democracy. This includes involving more people in decision-making processes. The rise of the AfD is also an indication that some voters are turning away from democracy.

The researcher also stresses the importance of discussing the structural disadvantages in the eastern region of Germany in future conversations. This is something that should be deeply analyzed, particularly in understanding what leads to the high level of support for right-wing parties. Radvan is a professor at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU).

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1. The EU has expressed concern over the AfD's approval rating in Brandenburg, particularly in the District of Spree-Neisse, where their support for the right-wing party surpassed 40% in local elections.
2. To combat this growing support for right-wing extremism in municipal elections, democratic leaders must proactively protect the constitution and promote the advantages of democracy.
3. The EU elections in Brandenburg also saw the AfD obtaining the highest number of votes, raising concerns about the impact of right-wing extremism on the broader political landscape in Brandenburg and potentially East Germany.
4. The rise of the AfD in Brandenburg, a state in former East Germany, underscores the need for more comprehensive discussions on the structural disadvantages in the eastern region and their role in fuelling right-wing extremism.
5. As the parties aligned with the federal government's traffic light coalition witnessed a decline in their vote share, it remains crucial to counterbalance this trend and strengthen public support for democracy.
6. The concern for protection of the constitution and democracy becomes even more crucial in the context of the AfD's increasing influence in Brandenburg and eastern Germany, ahead of the upcoming European election.

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