They may have gained some cheerleaders in very important positions over the last few months, but German political party Alternative für Deutschland, otherwise referred to as AfD, have been earmarked as an ‘extreme right-wing organisation’ by domestic authorities.
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Who are the AfD?
The country’s federal office for the protection of the constitution, Verfassungschutz, announced their decision to classify the AfD as extremists on Friday. It follows a review of an 1,100 page research document, which argues that the party ‘is not compatible with democratic order’.
One of the biggest reasons for their blacklisting is how party leaders view German citizens. It has been stated, from the very top, that people from a migrant background cannot be truly considered for citizenship. Verfassungschutz also took issue with their ‘ancestry-based’ views.
“The ethnicity- and ancestry-based conception of the people that predominates within the party is not compatible with the free democratic order. The AfD does not consider citizens of a migration background from predominantly Muslim countries.” | Verfassungschutz
AfD reject ‘extremist’ claims
The decision has prompted a divided response across Germany. Top brass within the AfD say that this new classification is an affront to democracy, with the Deputy Chairman decrying it as ‘complete nonsense’. However, there’s now a significant likelihood that this could harm their Parliamentary influence.
Though the AfD failed in their bid to win the elections held earlier this year, they did end up claiming around 20% of the vote nationally, performing particularly well in rural areas. Despite this popularity, some senior figures now believe this ruling should stop them from chairing committees.
Elon Musk pays the price for backing far-right party
Earlier this year, the AfD received the sustained backing of Elon Musk, who also addressed one of their pre-election rallies. He used his huge platform on X/Twitter to amplify their messages, and constantly signalled his support. This, however, seems to have cost him dearly.
Tesla sales have plummeted in Germany. A major poll run by the German T-Online, with more than 100,000 respondents, also asked if they’d ever consider buying a Tesla in the future. The rejections was resounding – and a whopping 94% of those polled stated that they now avoid the brand altogether.