German elections polls open for voters as far right AfD eyes gains | BBC News

Summary

In regional elections in eastern Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to perform strongly, capitalizing on migration concerns and a sense of economic disparity with the West. Thousands protested against the AfD, labeling them as fascists. The AfD's hard-right leader, Björn Höcke, has been fined for using Nazi slogans. The elections may also reflect dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government. Additionally, the newly formed BSW party is vying for votes by appealing to East German identity and advocating for a halt to weapons shipments to Ukraine.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ Polls have opened in two eastern states of Germany where the far-right party is expected to perform strongly.
• 🚨 Thousands of demonstrators rallied against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony and Thuringia, denouncing them as fascists.
• 🎖️ The AfD is campaigning on a platform of controlled borders and the expulsion of illegal immigrants, potentially making them the largest party in Thuringia.
• 🔍 The party leader of AfD in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, is a controversial figure known for his hard-right stance and use of Nazi slogans.
• 🏙️ The elections are regional, not national, but could have significant implications for the political landscape in Germany's eastern regions.
• 🤔 The AfD and another party, the BSW, are capitalizing on issues like migration and economic disparity between the east and west of Germany.
• 🔄 There is a sense of nostalgia among some eastern Germans who do not view their past under Soviet rule as entirely negative, influencing their political views.
• 🇺🇦 Both AfD and BSW are calling for a halt to the shipment of weapons to Ukraine, reflecting a divergence from the western consensus on the conflict.
• 🏛️ The elections may serve as a referendum on Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government and its 'traffic light' coalition, with voters possibly using the vote to express dissatisfaction.
• 🔮 These regional elections are seen as a precursor to the federal elections, providing a litmus test for the popularity of the far-right and the government's policies.

Q & A

What is the significance of the regional elections in Germany's eastern states?

The regional elections in Germany's eastern states are significant as they may indicate a shift in political sentiment towards the far-right, which could have implications for future national elections and policies.

How is the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party expected to perform in these elections?

The AfD party is expected to perform strongly in these elections, potentially emerging as the largest party in the region, capitalizing on anti-immigrant sentiments and dissatisfaction with the current government's policies.

What are the main issues driving support for the far-right parties in the eastern states?

The main issues driving support for far-right parties include concerns over immigration, a sense of being underprivileged compared to the western part of Germany, and certain nostalgic or sympathetic views towards Russia.

What is the stance of the AfD and BSW parties on the Ukraine conflict?

Both the AfD and BSW parties are against sending weapons to Ukraine, arguing that the West and NATO should not prolong the war by providing military support.

How has the migration policy under Angela Merkel's rule impacted the current political climate in the eastern states?

The migration policy under Angela Merkel, which allowed a large wave of migrants into Germany, has been a significant factor contributing to the rise of far-right parties that capitalize on anti-immigrant sentiments.

Who is Björn Höcke and what is his role in the AfD party?

Björn Höcke is a highly controversial figure and leader of the AfD in the eastern state of Thuringia. He represents the hard-right wing of the party and has been fined for using Nazi slogans.

What is the BSW (Bündnis für Sachsen-Anhalt) party and what are its goals?

The BSW party is a relatively new party formed to represent East German identity and interests. It is also tapping into the dissatisfaction with the current government and is seen as a real representative of East Germans.

How might these regional elections influence the federal elections in Germany?

The results of these regional elections could serve as a litmus test for the federal elections, indicating potential shifts in voter preferences and the possibility of far-right parties gaining more influence at the national level.

What is the 'traffic light Coalition' mentioned in the script and how is it perceived in the eastern states?

The 'traffic light Coalition' refers to the ruling coalition in Berlin under Chancellor Olaf Schultz, consisting of parties with red, green, and yellow colors in their logos. It is perceived negatively in the eastern states due to dissatisfaction with their policies, particularly on migration and foreign policy.

What is the role of nostalgia and historical perspective in shaping political views in the eastern states?

Nostalgia and a different historical perspective on life under the Soviet Union's rule contribute to a complex political landscape in the eastern states, where some voters may not view their past under a dictatorship as negatively as those in the western part of Germany.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Far-Right Gains in German Regional Elections

In the eastern states of Germany, regional elections have seen a strong showing by the far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD). Thousands of protesters rallied against the party in Saxony and Thuringia, denouncing it as fascist. The AfD is expected to perform well, possibly becoming the largest party in Thuringia. The party's stance on controlled borders and the expulsion of legal immigrants is gaining traction. However, their extremist views might hinder them from forming coalitions to take power. The AfD's leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, is a controversial figure known for his hard-right stance and use of Nazi slogans. The elections are also seen as a reflection on Chancellor Olaf Schultz's government, with the possibility of a major repudiation. The AfD and another party, the BSW, are capitalizing on migration issues and a sense of being underprivileged in the East, as well as a certain sympathy towards Russia, which is influencing their foreign policy stance on Ukraine.

05:01

🔍 Prioritizing Migration and Foreign Policy in Regional Elections

The second paragraph of the script delves into the reasons behind the far-right's rise in popularity, with migration and foreign policy being key issues. The AfD and the BSW are both pushing for a halt to weapons shipments to Ukraine, arguing that the West and NATO should not prolong the conflict. These regional elections, while not national, are seen as a litmus test for the federal elections a year away, with migration and Ukraine policy potentially being decisive factors for voters. The discussion highlights the complexity of the political landscape in Germany's eastern regions, where historical sentiments and contemporary issues intertwine to shape voter preferences.

Keywords

💡Far right

The term 'far right' refers to political ideologies and parties that advocate for nationalist, anti-immigrant, and often authoritarian policies. In the context of the video, the far right is expected to perform strongly in the regional elections in eastern Germany, particularly with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is known for its anti-immigrant stance. The video discusses the potential impact of these parties on the political landscape and the reasons behind their growing support.

💡Alternative for Germany (AfD)

The 'Alternative for Germany' (AfD) is a right-wing populist and nationalist political party in Germany. The AfD is expected to do well in the regional elections, as mentioned in the script, due to its hardline stance on immigration and its appeal to voters who feel that the government has not adequately controlled borders. The party's potential to become the largest in the region is a significant theme in the video, highlighting the shift in political sentiment.

💡Demonstrators

Demonstrators are individuals who participate in public protests or rallies to express their opinions or demands. In the video, thousands of demonstrators took part in rallies in Saxony and Thuringia, denouncing the AfD as fascists. This shows the polarized nature of the political climate and the strong opposition to the far-right party's views.

💡Anti-immigrant

The term 'anti-immigrant' describes a sentiment or policy that opposes immigration or the influx of immigrants into a country. The video discusses the AfD's anti-immigrant stance, which is a key factor in their expected strong performance in the elections. This stance is part of a broader narrative in the video about the political shifts and the concerns of voters in eastern Germany.

💡Regional elections

Regional elections refer to the electoral process that takes place within a specific region or state, as opposed to national elections. The video focuses on the regional elections in eastern states of Germany, where the far-right is expected to perform strongly. These elections are significant as they may indicate trends and voter sentiment ahead of the federal elections.

💡Björn Höcke

Björn Höcke is a controversial figure who heads the AfD in the state of Thuringia. He is mentioned in the script as a symbol of the party's hard-right stance and has been fined for using a Nazi slogan. His role and the controversies surrounding him are relevant to understanding the video's discussion of the AfD's influence and the party's extremist image.

💡Coalition Partners

In politics, a 'coalition partner' refers to a party that joins with another party or parties to form a government when no single party has won an outright majority. The video suggests that the AfD may struggle to find coalition partners due to their extremist views, which could impact their ability to take power despite potential electoral success.

💡Olaf Schultz

Olaf Schultz is the Chancellor of Germany, leading the government that is being tested in these regional elections. The video discusses the potential for a major repudiation of his government and his 'traffic light Coalition,' indicating dissatisfaction among voters that may lead to a shift towards the far-right.

💡Litmus test

A 'litmus test' is a crucial test or event that reveals important information. In the video, the regional elections are described as a litmus test for the country's East, indicating that the results will provide insights into the political climate and voter sentiment ahead of the federal elections.

💡Migration

Migration refers to the movement of people from one region or country to another. The video highlights migration as a key issue in the elections, with the AfD capitalizing on concerns about the number of migrants and the impact on the country, particularly under Angela Merkel's rule when a significant wave of migrants arrived in Germany.

💡Foreign policy

Foreign policy refers to how a country interacts with other nations and sets its international priorities. The video discusses the AfD's and BSW's stance on Ukraine, advocating for a stop to sending weapons, which reflects a broader debate on Germany's role in international conflicts and its impact on domestic politics.

Highlights

Polls have opened in two eastern states of Germany where the far-right is expected to perform strongly.

Thousands of demonstrators took part in rallies in Saxony and Thuringia against the far-right.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is expected to do well in the election.

Protesters denounced the AfD as fascists during rallies in Dresden.

AfD party leader calls for controlled borders and expulsion of legal immigrants.

The AfD could emerge as the largest party in Thuringia.

Regional elections may have a significant impact on the political landscape.

The AfD is capitalizing on the migration issue, which is a major concern for many in the East.

There is a sentiment of feeling left behind and underprivileged in the East compared to the West.

Björn Höcke, the head of AfD in Thuringia, is a controversial figure known for his hard-right stance.

Höcke has been fined for using a Nazi slogan, which he denies.

The vote may deliver a major repudiation of the government in Berlin under Chancellor Olaf Schultz.

The election is a litmus test in the country's East ahead of the federal elections.

There is a shift by voters towards the far-right due to migration and economic concerns.

The BSW, a new party, is also trying to capitalize on East German identity.

Some East Germans have a different view on Russia and the Soviet Union's past oppression.

Both AfD and BSW are against sending weapons to Ukraine, reflecting a different stance in the East.

Transcripts

now the polls have opened in two eastern

states of Germany in elections which the

far right is expected to perform

strongly thousands of demonstrators took

part in rallies in Saxony and Thia on

Saturday the anti-immigrant alternative

for Germany party or afd is expected to

do well in the election in the city of

airort protesters denounced the afd as

fascists police say around 2,000 people

attended anti-ar right rallies in

Dresden

at an afd rally one of the party leaders

told supporters that Germany needed

controlled borders and the expulsion of

a legal immigrants it's thought the

party could emerge as the largest in

theia the vote our Europe correspondent

Jess Parker has

more these are Regional not national

elections nevertheless they could be

seismic here in theing the far right

alternative for deuts land has been

leading the polls and running a close

second in ing Saxony however because

many view the party is extremist

something they reject they may struggle

to find Coalition Partners in order to

actually take power the man who heads up

the afd here in theing is a highly

controversial figure called bjor hooker

he's a Talisman of the party's hard

right and has twice been fined this year

for knowingly using a Nazi slogan

something he denied this vote may also

deliver a major repudiation of the

government in Berlin under Chancellor

Olaf Schultz and his traffic light

Coalition it's a litmus test here in the

country's East a year ahead of the

federal

elections our correspondent Jessica

Parker there well let's cross live to

Berlin to speak to Marcus Zena who's a

senior visiting fellow for the German

Marshall fund think tank thank you so

much for joining us Marcus first of all

why do you think there has been this uh

shift by voters towards the far right

well thanks for having me um I think

there is a couple of things in play here

the one is uh of course as mentioned

earlier the migration problem the

migration topic many people in the East

feel that we have too many migrants and

uh uh this actually happened under the

rule of uh Angela Merkel when she was

Chancellor we had a big wave of migrants

coming to Germany and this is what the

afd the far right party is capitalizing

on to say well we have too many this is

the one topic the other topic is um

certain sentiment of feeling like being

left behind being underprivileged and

not having the same um wealth situation

being not as well off as in the western

part so this is also something two

parties the afd was mentioned but also

there is another party at play which has

been formed only half a year ago it's

called B SAR wagen Alliance SAR wagen

and this party also is trying to um well

take advantage of some kind of uh East

German identity and saying well we are

the real representatives of um East

Germans and uh Marcus while we're

speaking viewers are seeing uh live

images from a polling booth in thuringia

or turingan if you fancy the German uh

more German pronunciation uh but what do

you think uh Olaf Schultz's party has

failed to do in order to capture these

voters or do you think these are voters

who would uh Express their vote as a

protest either way regardless of what Mr

Schultz's party could

do I I think the letter is true that um

no matter what ola Schultz is doing it's

not going to give him some more credit I

as mentioned earlier I mean it's it's

the one thing is migration the other

thing which I didn't mention was Russia

and some kind of um well um certain

sympathy for for the Russians which is

interesting here because um East Germany

suffered under the oppression by the

Soviet Union for so many decades however

uh this is something probably in the

west uh we see that as as as a as a fact

however many people in the eastern part

of Germany they don't see that like they

have been living under a dictatorship at

least they don't think they were so

badly off when they when they when they

lived at that time so in hindsight there

is some kind of nostalgia in play now

what does this have to do with the

region

elections both the afd and the BSW

they're both asking for a stop of

sending weapons to Ukraine they believe

that the west and NATO they have a

certain responsibility and that they

should not prolong the war by sending

weapons to Ukraine so

interestingly um although there are

Regional elections uh the topics of

migration and um and and the foreign

policy issue of Ukraine

are high on the priority list and uh

could become decisive uh topics for

voters to vote for the far right in the

BW we shall see thank you marus Cena

thank you for your time