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Polybius

(17,645 posts)
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 10:28 AM Sep 2

Germany: Far-right AfD wins first state vote since WWII

Source: DW

The far-right AfD won the election in Thuringia, securing 32.8% of the vote, preliminary results showed after all votes were counted.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) came second, winning 23.6%.

The upstart, left-wing party Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) was third with 15.8% of the vote.

Germany’s ruling coalition parties, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), the environmentalist Greens and business-focused Free Democrats (FDP), received a drubbing at the polls.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-german-party-wins-first-state-election-since-wwii/live-70102882

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Germany: Far-right AfD wins first state vote since WWII (Original Post) Polybius Sep 2 OP
Germany! What are you thinking? jimfields33 Sep 2 #1
Immigration played a huge role Polybius Sep 2 #2
Is there a Murdoch outlet in Germany too? Initech Sep 3 #19
Days before the election, a Syrian refugee who was supposed to be deported killed 3 people OnlinePoker Sep 2 #4
That's usually how it starts, in economically depressed areas where onetexan Sep 2 #8
I wouldn't exactly compare the two Polybius Sep 2 #10
Isn't the Con & GOP relying on propaganda & lies? onetexan Sep 2 #12
This is about Europe, and immigration/asylum laws Polybius Sep 2 #13
I wonder if that's the flavor of October Surprise we have pending here, too 0rganism Sep 2 #11
Very hard n/t Polybius Sep 3 #14
I certainly hope you're correct 0rganism Sep 3 #21
I don't think anyone is dumb enough to fall for it Polybius Sep 4 #23
It's not Germany per se RazorbackExpat Sep 3 #15
Fascism is alive and well. J_William_Ryan Sep 2 #3
"Today Thuringia, Tomorrow the World" C0RI0LANUS Sep 2 #5
That is close to what the Nazi Party & Hitler received in 1933. n/t Jacson6 Sep 2 #6
It is...sadly I thought it would turn out like the recent French and UK elections. PortTack Sep 2 #7
These are just local elections, in the former East Germany RazorbackExpat Sep 3 #16
Thuringia and Saxony are East Germany IronLionZion Sep 2 #9
They also tend to oppose Germany's support for Ukraine n/t RazorbackExpat Sep 3 #17
Ukrainians are stealing our jobs! IronLionZion Sep 3 #18
I don't understand your reply, especially the need for a sarcasm thingy RazorbackExpat Sep 5 #24
I was joking, I understand your reply IronLionZion Sep 5 #25
Paging DFW... LudwigPastorius Sep 3 #20
Just saw this. Had the same thought. electric_blue68 Sep 4 #22
I guess Bannon is thrilled to hear it. flying_wahini Sep 5 #26

OnlinePoker

(5,829 posts)
4. Days before the election, a Syrian refugee who was supposed to be deported killed 3 people
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 11:33 AM
Sep 2

I'm sure this added fuel to the fire. Also, the German state that voted for AFD is in the east, the former Soviet East Germany, and they are against the support for Ukraine in the war. The same goes for the other state where AFD came a close second. Even 30 years after unification, this is a more economically depressed region of the country, which tends to push people towards radical political parties. To be honest, though, they only received 33% in Thuringia and it is unlikely any other party will be willing to form a ruling coalition with them.

Unfortunately, you're seeing a similar pattern happening in much of Europe, with France being a good (bad) example. The far right National Rally party/Union of the Far Right coalition took in over 37% of the vote nationally in the second round of voting in July and now hold 25% of the seats in the French Parliament.

onetexan

(13,889 posts)
8. That's usually how it starts, in economically depressed areas where
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 01:16 PM
Sep 2

Ppl have grievance and harbor hate for "others". In the late 30s /early 40s it was Jews. Now it's dark skin immigrants.

Polybius

(17,645 posts)
10. I wouldn't exactly compare the two
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 02:41 PM
Sep 2

Hitler relied on propaganda and lies. Nearly everyone agrees that there were huge mistakes in Europe's immigration policies over the past 20 years or so. Expecting immigrants to assimilate was considered taboo at the time.

0rganism

(24,606 posts)
11. I wonder if that's the flavor of October Surprise we have pending here, too
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 02:45 PM
Sep 2

How hard would it be to get an undocumented immigrant to commit some random act of mass murder in return for citizenship, promise of a full pardon from TSF, and a pile of money?

0rganism

(24,606 posts)
21. I certainly hope you're correct
Tue Sep 3, 2024, 11:51 PM
Sep 3

All it would take is 3-4 such mercenaries and a dozen dead Americans to pave TSF's way back to the Whitehouse.

Polybius

(17,645 posts)
23. I don't think anyone is dumb enough to fall for it
Wed Sep 4, 2024, 11:04 AM
Sep 4

There is no way they would get away with it, the promise of a pardon would be ridiculous, because they would be waiting forever.

RazorbackExpat

(172 posts)
15. It's not Germany per se
Tue Sep 3, 2024, 04:31 PM
Sep 3

It's 2 districts in the former East Germany where there is considerable support for Russia against Ukraine.

C0RI0LANUS

(1,253 posts)
5. "Today Thuringia, Tomorrow the World"
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 11:35 AM
Sep 2
?w=975
German authorities identified over 32,200 right-wing extremists in 2019. Much of the rise has to do with authorities counting groups affiliated with the far-right AfD for the first time. (Photo: DW.com)

The leader of the AfD, Bjoern Hoecke, was convicted in 2024 for using a Nazi slogan at a party rally.

German federal elections take place Oct 2025.


Source:

dw.com

RazorbackExpat

(172 posts)
16. These are just local elections, in the former East Germany
Tue Sep 3, 2024, 04:41 PM
Sep 3

The AfD is not going to have the same level of support in most of the rest of the country.

IronLionZion

(46,917 posts)
9. Thuringia and Saxony are East Germany
Mon Sep 2, 2024, 01:22 PM
Sep 2

their economies are worse than the western states and they hate immigrants/refugees/etc.

RazorbackExpat

(172 posts)
24. I don't understand your reply, especially the need for a sarcasm thingy
Thu Sep 5, 2024, 09:06 AM
Sep 5

Quite by accident, I recently met a man from Thuringia. We were companions for a couple of weeks, because of what fate had dealt both of us. During that time, we had some really interesting conversations. We talked about East and West Germany, and that he was born in the West, but spent time in the East with his parents, and later as a college student. It was so fascinating to hear his stories. He moved to the East a few years after reunification, and started a business in Thuringia. Later, he became involved with German politics.

He told me that after the collapse of the Honecker/Krenz regime in East Germany, many former East Germans rushed to go to the West. I saw that for myself, watching on the TV as East Germans crowded into trains and threw their DDR marks out the windows to those who remained behind after they were allowed to leave without repercussions.

However, the people who stayed behind were often those who benefited from the Soviet domination of the DDR. My friend had told me that the authoritarian brainwashing had lasted for decades, starting with the Hitler era and going through the Soviet era. And even today, there are people in that region who still support the old Soviet/Russian system, and support Russia in the war against Ukraine and are therefore against German aid to Ukraine.

And that's one reason why the fucking AfD came out ahead this time, compared to the previous election that was held before the Russian invasion.

IronLionZion

(46,917 posts)
25. I was joking, I understand your reply
Thu Sep 5, 2024, 09:22 AM
Sep 5

My cousin lives in Germany and married to a German. I've had similar chats with them about the East/West divide in thinking because of their differing economic histories.

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