Many people see democracy as threatened – also with a view to the state elections in the fall. Since the Potsdam meeting of radical right-wingers became known, thousands of people have taken to the streets across the country.
Many are upset: The reason is research into the AfD’s contacts with right-wing extremists and secret plans to expel millions of people – people with foreign roots, even if they have a German passport.
The AfD downplays the allegations. She sees herself as a victim and as a party that defends the rule of law. In the Bundestag, the parliamentary manager of the AfD parliamentary group, Bernd Baumann, attacks the other parties. “The voters are punishing you with a primal force that is unique in the history of the Federal Republic. Panic is spreading. You can almost smell their fear.”
Haßelmann: Shaking people up – on the street and in parliament
There are also increasing concerns about democracy in parliament. Britta Haßelmann, leader of the Green Party, speaks of a wake-up call – on the streets and in parliament. “I believe that all democratic forces, whether in the government or the opposition, are called upon to stand together in such a situation against enemies of democracy. And they exist. Nobody can ignore that. There is now an end to the trivialization and banalization .”
Günther Krings is the legal policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group. He can understand the worries. Criticism of politics is okay. But when it goes against democracy, it should be openly contradicted. It starts in the family, circle of friends and the workplace. If someone criticizes politics, we can talk about it. But if someone questions the institutions, they have to be opposed.
Fear of the state election
It’s less than 250 kilometers from Berlin to Freiberg. But Saxony – where the AfD is particularly strong – feels far away from Berlin. The non-party district administrator Dirk Neubauer sits in Freiberg. He is someone who always spreads optimism. But these days he sounds more skeptical.
District Administrator Neubauer is worried about the state elections in Saxony.
“Panic is not a good guide, but there is great concern. You just have to say that. If you look at the developments of the last few months, how discourse is dying, how exchange is dying, how compromise is dying, then you can get worried.”
Neubauer is worried because a new state parliament will be elected in Saxony in the fall. The AfD could win the election, also because rural regions in Berlin are often forgotten.
Solve problems better on site
He doesn’t believe in banning the AfD now. He calls for a vision, an idea – to better solve local problems. “I don’t know what we’re afraid of. But if we continue like this, I know that things will go wrong. It’s no surprise to anyone that at some point there will come a point where things might slip – and something is slipping right now.”
There will be elections in Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg in September. According to surveys, the AfD could become the strongest party in all three countries.
Gabor Halasz, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, January 19, 2024 4:16 p.m