The far-right Alternative for Germany party is caught in a heavy fire of criticism after the revelation of its link with a meeting on a proposed “remigration” of German citizens of foreign origin. The Social Democrats led the charge in Parliament.
After last week’s revelation of a plan to “remigrate” Germans of foreign origin, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has come under fire from criticism, particularly from members of the majority in the power and government.
Last week, the Correctiv media revealed the existence of a far-right meeting in November in which figures from the extremist Identitarian Movement and the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party, would have participated. . A prominent member of the Identitarian Movement, Martin Sellner, of Austrian nationality, presented his vision of “remigration”. Among those present at the meeting: Alice Weidel, head of the AfD parliamentary group in the Federal Parliament and co-leader of the party.
National polls currently put the AfD in second place, with more than 20 percent support, behind the center-right opposition bloc, but ahead of parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular center-left coalition.
Since these revelations, the AfD has tried to distance itself from the meeting, claiming that the party had no organizational or financial links with the event, that it was not responsible for what was discussed there and that the members who had participated had done so in a purely personal capacity, like Alice Weidel.
The Social Democrats launch the charge
The last days, “we heard fears and worries; we have seen that, on kitchen tables in Germany, German citizens are discussing whether they should flee their own country“, declared Lars Klingbeil, the majority leader of the Social Democrats, in the Bundestag on Thursday.
“You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but I tell you your facade is starting to crumble” he told AfD lawmakers.
Konstantin Kuhle, a senior lawmaker with the Free Democrats, one of Olaf Scholz’s coalition partners, said the reported meeting showed the AfD was working to serve as an institutional intermediary for extremist groups.
Protests against the far-right have taken place several times in German cities in recent days, including one in Cologne on Tuesday that attracted tens of thousands of participants.
AfD leader Bernd Baumann complained that traditional parties “falsify our requests, in particular on the question of “remigration“” and affirmed that his party is facing a “underhanded campaign led by crumbling left-green class politicians and journalists“.
Since the Correctiv revelations, calls to ban the AfD, which has continued to move towards the far right since its creation in 2013, have increased in Germany. But many of its opponents spoke out against the idea, arguing that the process would be long, success very uncertain and that it could benefit the party by allowing it to portray itself as a victim.
