Comment: It shouldn’t all revolve around one party

Anyone who approaches the rhetoric of the AfD or turns every debate around it ends up in the “AfD trap”. Traffic lights and the opposition must return to objective behavior – and give people the choice.

It seemed like a bad joke. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Germany against the AfD. But next to the contributions to the demonstrations there was a message on Sunday: “New traffic light dispute”. This time it’s about child benefit and appointments from the previous year.

The dispute between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP is a key reason for the AfD’s high poll numbers. Even well-intentioned people find the constant questioning of often hard-won compromises to be an imposition.

Traffic light should act

In addition, there are questionable decisions, especially with a view to the elections in Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony. Overall, the measures decided by the traffic light at the turn of the year do not mean any relief for low incomes and people in rural areas. For example, because the CO2 tax increases gasoline prices. According to the German Economic Institute, there is actually a risk of a burden.

It is precisely in these groups that the AfD has been particularly strong for years. It’s grist to their mill. Especially since the initially excessive cuts in agricultural subsidies also affected rural areas.

If the traffic light coalition wants to achieve a turnaround by September, then it cannot leave it at the current measures. Then it would also have to relieve pressure on rural areas, as it had promised after the flawed design called the fuel price brake. And it would have to show in discussions with farmers that it is really serious about the hastily promised relief for the industry. Above all, however, the three parties must treat each other more fairly in all future design issues.

This applies to political debate in general. Fairer would mean not turning every position that is directed against the traffic light or against left-wing projects towards the AfD or equating it with it. This just falls into the AfD trap.

AfD must not have a monopoly

Because dissatisfaction with the traffic light coalition is greater than support for the AfD. So is concern about your own economic situation. Likewise, the approval of limiting migration or the rejection of further arms deliveries to Ukraine.

The parties must struggle for answers to these questions – but the SPD, Greens and FDP should refrain from personal attacks and constantly questioning joint decisions. In any case, the AfD does not have a monopoly on these sentiments and it should not have one. However, the constant identification of other positions with those of the AfD strengthens their narrative of an alleged “old party cartel” that is united against them.

This is exemplified by the migration debate. It is a myth that it was started by the AfD. In fact, it goes back to local politicians who warned of an overload of the infrastructure across Germany from autumn 2022. It took the federal government almost a year to respond adequately. She didn’t end the debate.

But programs, speeches and the Potsdam secret meeting by and with the AfD show how clearly their expulsion fantasies differ from the demands of other parties. You can criticize what the Union is demanding or what the traffic light is currently deciding to tighten the law, but it is not “AfD light”.

Instead, discussing the different approaches objectively would show people that it makes a difference which party you vote for. And that concerns – regardless of the solution approach – are taken seriously.

Union must question itself

But the same applies to the Union. Officials from East German regional associations have long been warning internally not to overdo it rhetorically during farmers’ protests or in the asylum debate. After all, you can’t win the populism competition against the AfD. And those who campaign daily against the “left-green” party, who see “a four-year monarchy” in the traffic lights like Michael Kretschmer, are also making themselves unbelievable if they form a coalition with the SPD and the Greens.

The current demonstrations show how great the concern is that the AfD will become so strong that it actually has an influence on politics in the countries. The demonstrators are also calling for a different kind of politics.