In Germany, the AfD is now the second political force in the country according to polls. With 18% of voting intentions, the new populist national party is at its highest level, attracting the anti-immigration electorate.
Founded by liberal economists who opposed the European policy of bailing out Greece, the AFD achieved a decisive score in the European elections one year after its creation, in June 2014, winning 7.1% of the votes. But the real turning point came in 2015 when Angela Merkel’s phrase “Wir schaffen das!” (“We will get there!’) becomes the symbol of a society open to the misery of the world.