About: Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)
AfD expels Brandenburg leader for concealing ties to nationalist group
The leadership of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party on Friday (15 May), expelled Brandenburg's AfD leader Andreas Kalbitz after Kalbitz was classified as a right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in early March. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Anti-lockdown protests in Germany infiltrated by far-right extremists
Many people are looking for explanations since lockdown measures were introduced to contain the coronavirus outbreak. In Germany, right-wing extremists are trying to take advantage of this. EURACTIV Germany reports.
‘Coronabonds’ vs ‘Recovery bonds’: Where does Germany stand?
While German Chancellor Angela Merkel has opposed the idea of 'coronabonds', German MEPs from her own political faction have spoken out in favour of 'recovery bonds', a position that could weigh heavily on the EU summit next Thursday. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Crisis-ridden SPD wins state parliamentary elections in Hamburg
Voters in Hamburg gave the SPD one of their best election results in recent years in a regional election on Sunday (23 February). With 38,9% of the vote, Peter Tschentscher (SPD) will continue as the city’s mayor, while the Greens doubled their share of the vote to reach 24,4%. Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU, however, performed poorly.
Hamburg elections, pose (another) crash test for Germany’s mainstream parties
Voters in the city state of Hamburg will elect their new parliament on 23 February, the first elections to take place after the Thuringian political turmoil broke out earlier this month. This is yet another test for Germany’s traditional parties that could seal the end of the country's traditional political landscape.
CDU crisis puts question mark on German EU Presidency
As the new European Commission finally begins its work, it is Berlin's turn to come to a political standstill. It's a problem for Germany but also for the European Union.
Political earthquake in Thuringia as new President gets elected with far-right votes
Thomas Kemmerich, a liberal democrat from the FDP party, became Thuringia's new Minister-President on Wednesday (5 February), thanks to support from the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the far-right – a first in post-war Germany. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Retreating Eurosceptics now settle for ‘reforms from within’
Just a couple of minutes after Nigel Farage triumphantly proclaimed victory in the 2016 Brexit referendum, Brussels started worrying that such a trend would spread throughout the Old Continent like wildfire.
Record numbers of young voters backed AfD in Thuringia state election
The state elections in Thuringia on Sunday (27 October) demonstrated how strong the AfD was among young people under 30, who voted in record numbers for the far-right party. Die Linke (the Left) came in second, while the Greens lagged far behind. EURACTIV's media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
One in two Germans against increased migration, study says
A growing number of Germans believe migrants drive wages down and burden the welfare system, according to a study analysing the attitude of Germans towards foreigners before and after the 2015 refugee crisis. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Shifting politics raise the stakes in Germany’s state elections
State elections in Brandenburg and Saxony – two coal mining regions in former East Germany – are likely to reverberate across the country, and even Europe, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria scandal overshadows Salvini’s European nationalist rally
Italian populist leader Matteo Salvini on Saturday (18 May) gathered Europe's disparate nationalists for a unifying rally overshadowed by a major corruption scandal shaking Austria's far-right coalition.
Far-right leaders gather in Prague ahead of EU vote
Prague will on Thursday (24 April) host a meeting of populist far-right party leaders seeking unprecedented success in European elections next month following a steep rise of anti-EU movements across Europe.
German far-right AfD party invites Bannon to Berlin
Germany's far-right party AfD has invited Donald Trump's former advisor Steve Bannon to a media conference in Berlin next month.
Germany’s ruling parties rank just above far-right on climate protection
The European People’s Party (EPP) has scored very poorly in an analysis of how MEPs voted on climate policies, ranking even lower than the European Parliament's far-right contingent. In Germany, it is a similar story. EURACTIV Germany reports.
German far right capitalises on high-profile migrant crimes
"Refugees are bringing crime into our town," an election leaflet declares – an example of how Germany's far-right feeds its narrative of a country threatened by more than a million new arrivals.
Europe needs new approach to tackle right-wing climate denial, study finds
Half of all votes against climate and energy decisions in the European Parliament come from right-wing parties and that number is set to grow as they are expected to score high at the next European elections, according to a study presented in Brussels on Wednesday (27 February).
German AfD: Decision to monitor party ‘bizarre’, lacks substance
The German intelligence service is keeping an eye on comments made by AfD politicians from now on. The party is to be examined for contemptuous behaviour. It is now up to the party whether it will be observed. EURACTIV Germany reports.