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Alternative for Germany (AfD)

Germany's far-right populist AfD party has a strong anti-immigration focus. Classified as a "suspected" far-right extremist organization, it is topping opinion polls in several eastern German states.

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All Content on this topic

A person leafs through a stack of ballot papers on a table

A person leafs through a stack of ballot papers on a table

Germany's political landscape is more fractured than ever

The successes of the AfD and BSW in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia has changed the German party system.

Matryoshkas, traditional Russian wooden dolls, including a doll of U.S. President Donald Trump, top, sit next to each other

Matryoshkas, traditional Russian wooden dolls, including a doll of U.S. President Donald Trump, top, sit next to each other

Is Russia trying to influence the US election?

Ahead of the US election, Washington has accused Russia of influencing voters — and not for the first time.

Freiwillige Ausreise von Asylbewerbern | Archivbild 2015

Freiwillige Ausreise von Asylbewerbern | Archivbild 2015

Is Germany going through a migration crisis?

Migration is the most important issue for many German voters. What are the facts?

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits a tank production line

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits a tank production line

German support for Ukraine under pressure from populists

The populist BSW and far-right AfD did well in state elections, after campaigning on ending arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader, speaks into a DW microphone

Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader, speaks into a DW microphone

Germany: CDU party leader on migration, cooperation with AfD

Speaking with DW, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has repeated his call for big changes to Germany's migration policy.

A view of Erfurt's mosque with its minaret still covered in scaffolding

A view of Erfurt's mosque with its minaret still covered in scaffolding

AfD to prevent Thuringia's first mosque?

Muslims in eastern Germany are anxious following AfD victories in state elections.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands among German citizens in Berlin

Chancellor Olaf Scholz stands among German citizens in Berlin

Disgruntled German voters want change

Support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left government has reached a new low. But who stands to gain?

DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

Inside Europe 5 September 2024

An AfD special featuring disaster prepping from “Takeover” author Arne Semsrott, analysis from political correspondent Thomas Sparrow and eastern soul searching from poetry slammer Aron Boks. Then: everything from Russian sabotage to the expansion of Luxemburg’s free public transport system, via British smoking bans and a guest appearance from John Biewen, host of the Scene on Radio podcast!

TTP Sendung | Totale Eng

TTP Sendung | Totale Eng

Rise of the far right: Is Germany at a tipping point?

How will the rise of the far right change Germany and its policies?

DW AfricaLink

DW AfricaLink

AfD election win: Should Africans in Germany be worried?

Eddy Micah Jr. talks to experts Elizabeth Horlemann and Jakkie Cilliers, and DW's Michaela Küfner.

Björn Hocke

Björn Hocke

What next for Germany's far right following its state win?

Following the far-right AfD's record result in the state of Thuringia, its influence is growing. What is its goal?

Vadimir Putin in a TV studio

Vadimir Putin in a TV studio

Russian propaganda celebrates German far right

Russia's media pundits welcome the rise of the far right in Germany as it neatly fits into the Kremlin's propaganda.

Sahra Wagenknecht

Sahra Wagenknecht

Germany: New BSW party in kingmaker position in east

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance wants to help govern Saxony and Thuringia, but some key demands have been rejected.

A red-haired woman speaks into a DW microphone

A red-haired woman speaks into a DW microphone

AfD Thuringia win: 'I don't know what'll become of Germany'

What are voters saying about the far-right victory in Thuringia, the first state election win since 1945?

Hand holding a mobile phone on whose display a video of AFD politician Alice Weidel can be seen on the TikTok platform

Hand holding a mobile phone on whose display a video of AFD politician Alice Weidel can be seen on the TikTok platform

TikTok likely helped far right in German elections: analysts

The far-right AfD was twice as effective at reaching first-time voters on the app than all other parties combined.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and a delegation pictured at Beijing Capital International Airport

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and a delegation pictured at Beijing Capital International Airport

AfricaLink News: September 2, 2024

African leaders head to China +++ German chancellor urges mainstream parties not to partner with far-right AfD

Pedestrians walk by a glass-fronted shop in Chemnitz which has closing down posters on the doors and windows

Pedestrians walk by a glass-fronted shop in Chemnitz which has closing down posters on the doors and windows

German businesses worried about far-right gains in the east

The success of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in state elections has raised concerns among business leaders.

A view of Thuringia's AfD top candidate Björn Höcke, surrounded by reporters

A view of Thuringia's AfD top candidate Björn Höcke, surrounded by reporters

German voters give far right first major postwar win

The AfD's chances of governing, however, remain slim as all mainstream parties refuse to cooperate with it.

Green Party politicians looking miserable

Green Party politicians looking miserable

Populist gains in state elections jolt German government

What will be the nationwide consequences from far-right gains in the Saxony and Thuringia state elections?

A man walks down a hall in a voting center

A man walks down a hall in a voting center

Far-right AfD triumphs in states ahead of national election

DW correspondents in Erfurt, Dresden and Berlin assess the implications for next year's national election.

Sahra Wagenknecht giving a speech in June 2024

Sahra Wagenknecht giving a speech in June 2024

What is Germany's populist BSW party?

The brand new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is gaining traction. Many of its positions overlap with the far right.

AfD leader in Saxony, Jörg Urban, watches the election results

AfD leader in Saxony, Jörg Urban, watches the election results

Germany: Thuringia and Saxony elections propel far-right AfD

State elections in Saxony and Thuringia showcased the rise of anti-establishment parties, with AfD coming on top.

Björn Höcke, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) top candidate in Thuringia, points past the camera

Björn Höcke, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) top candidate in Thuringia, points past the camera

Germany's far-right AfD wins big in state elections

The AfD's Thuringia win is the first time since World War II that a far-right party has come first in a regional vote.

Björn Höcke

Björn Höcke

Germany's far-right AfD: 'We have a clear mandate to govern'

The AfD is celebrating record election results in Thuringia and Saxony but is unlikely to form or join a government.

A person at a table hidden by the walls of a voting booth

A person at a table hidden by the walls of a voting booth

German elections: Far right wins big — results in numbers

DW looks at which parties won and which lost in regional elections in two eastern German states.

Höcke: AfD 'ready' for government duties

The leader of Thuringia's far-right AfD told public broadcaster ARD that he wants to head up a coalition government.

Björn Höcke

Björn Höcke

AfD's Björn Höcke: A 'fascist' wins election in Thuringia

Analysts fear far-reaching consequences if the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany takes power in Thuringia.

A Carníval float showing Alice Weidel and Sahra Wagenknecht's heads on a car steered by Vladimir Putin with blood on his hands

A Carníval float showing Alice Weidel and Sahra Wagenknecht's heads on a car steered by Vladimir Putin with blood on his hands

Russia's best friends in Germany: AfD and BSW

The far-right AfD and left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance oppose support for Ukraine — a popular stance with voters.

A CU of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) top candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke

A CU of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) top candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke

Germany's far-right AfD wins first state election

DW Chief Political Correspondent Nina Haase reports from Erfurt in the state of Thuringia.

Protesters hold up a banner against the far-right during a protest in Erfurt, Thuringia state, Germany, on August 31. 2024

Protesters hold up a banner against the far-right during a protest in Erfurt, Thuringia state, Germany, on August 31. 2024

Germany: Anti-far-right protests held ahead of state polls

Ahead of the Saxony and Thuringia elections, protesters rallied in Erfurt against the anti-immigration AfD party.

In Görlitz an AfD campaign poster reading 'Security instead of Chaos'

In Görlitz an AfD campaign poster reading 'Security instead of Chaos'

Germany's regional elections threaten Scholz’s coalition

The far-right AfD could win three eastern state elections, dealing a blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition.

The flags of Ukraine and Russia

The flags of Ukraine and Russia

Foreign policy dominates regional elections in Germany

Why is Russia’s war in Ukraine high on the agenda in German regional elections in Saxony and Thuringia?

Sahra Wagenknecht (R), chair of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), on stage after the paint attack at a campaign event in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, on August 29, 2024.

Sahra Wagenknecht (R), chair of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), on stage after the paint attack at a campaign event in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, on August 29, 2024.

German politician hit with paint ahead of state election

The attack comes days before elections in two eastern German states where her party is expected to emerge as kingmaker.

View of an elderly man placing a candle at a makeshift memorial

View of an elderly man placing a candle at a makeshift memorial

Germany debates migration after Solingen attack

Opposition politicians propose options to severely reform Germany's migration laws following the Solingen knife attack.

DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

DW Podcast | Inside Europe | provisorisch f ROAD

Inside Europe 29 August 2024

The AfD uses the Solingen knife attack to sow fear on the eve of crucial elections, a new push to identify the bodies of the missing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a worrying new arms race grips the Caucasus. In the second half: tech intrigue and the right to repair ............................................................................... https://t.ly/0WBDQ - Cyrus Farivar's Forbes article

Riot police defend a Mosque in Sunderland

Riot police defend a Mosque in Sunderland

Islamophobia surges online as Europe struggles to respond

Far-right figures misuse recent stabbings in Solingen and Southport to push conspiracy theories and incite hate.

DW Sendung To The Point | Totale E

DW Sendung To The Point | Totale E

Should Germany change its migration policy?

What does it take to stop terrorism? More deportations, or more prevention?

Vorschaubild Explainer Wie tickt der Osten?

Vorschaubild Explainer Wie tickt der Osten?

The German far-right leader with anti-democratic ties

Far-right politician Björn Höcke wants to become the leader of the German state of Thuringia.

A far-right political rally with a stage center and German flags being waved

A far-right political rally with a stage center and German flags being waved

Mind games: Populists' 'downward spiral' to unhappiness

Germany's AfD could be the first far-right party to win state elections since the Nazis. But it won't make voters happy.

AfD election campaign poster in Altenburg in Thuringia

AfD election campaign poster in Altenburg in Thuringia

Germany: Immigrants in east wary of rising far-right AfD

The far-right, anti-immigration AfD party is set for election victory in two eastern states. Most immigrants are worried

Deutschland Zugeschmiertes Plakat von Joerg Prophet (AdD)

Deutschland Zugeschmiertes Plakat von Joerg Prophet (AdD)

Right-wing shift threatens Thuringia's economy

As voters in the regional state of Thuringia go to the polls, businesses hope the right-wing AfD party can be stopped.

A political poster for Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer at a tram station in Dresden

A political poster for Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer at a tram station in Dresden

Germany: Will a right-wing shift hit businesses and jobs?

As voters in Saxony go to the polls in state elections some fear a sharp political turn will hurt business investment.

makeshift memorial of flowers and candles at the site of a knife attack in Solingen

makeshift memorial of flowers and candles at the site of a knife attack in Solingen

Solingen knife attack heats up German election campaign

A suspected Islamist stabbed three people to death. This has reignited the debate on migration and security.

A black and white image of the Berlin Wall and Brandenburg Gate in December 1968

A black and white image of the Berlin Wall and Brandenburg Gate in December 1968

3 reasons the past still shapes eastern Germany today

The popularity of the far-right AfD among voters in eastern Germany hints at a deep rift 35 years after reunification.

Parteien in Deutschland zur Wahl - Wahlzettel mit Stift | Illustration

Parteien in Deutschland zur Wahl - Wahlzettel mit Stift | Illustration

Why are the German state elections so important?

The AfD could win three state elections. It would be the first victory for a far-right party in post-war Germany.

Statues of Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller on Weimar's central square, Theaterplatz

Statues of Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Friedrich Schiller on Weimar's central square, Theaterplatz

Thuringia: A small German state with big political impact

Germany's eastern state of Thuringia is famous for many things. It is also a stronghold of the far right.

Semperoper

Semperoper

Saxony votes: What you need to know about this German state

Eastern Germany's Saxony is known for baroque buildings and beautiful scenery, but also for right-wing extremism.

Friedrich Merz (r) and Mario Voigt attends a CDU rally

Friedrich Merz (r) and Mario Voigt attends a CDU rally

Germany: In Thuringia, Merz repeats CDU won't ally with AfD

The CDU leader Friedrich Merz is touring eastern states ahead of votes where the far-right AfD is likely to fare well.

Reinhard Schramm, head of the Jewish community in Erfurt

Reinhard Schramm, head of the Jewish community in Erfurt

Rise of far-right AfD worries Germany's Jewish community

The far-right AfD has a chance of winning all three of Germany's upcoming state elections, alarming Jewish people.

AfD campaign poster reading 'It is time for peace'

AfD campaign poster reading 'It is time for peace'

Foreign policy shapes regional elections in eastern Germany

Many East Germans voters are skeptical about support for Ukraine and the stationing of US missiles in Germany.