The AfD party youth is certainly right-wing extremist, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has now decided. AfD voters are not deterred by this, believes expert Jan Riebe.
Because it sees people with a migrant background as second-class Germans, the Young Alternative was classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution at the end of April as "certainly right-wing extremist" and is henceforth under surveillance. As a result, the AfD youth organization will be no less radical than in the past, says Jan Riebe, right-wing extremism expert at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, in an interview with FR.de of IPPEN. MEDIA. On the contrary, the classification as right-wing extremist even serves many as a kind of "seal of approval".
Mr. Riebe, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has now classified the Young Alternative as "certainly right-wing extremist". Is it fair to say that the Young Alternative is more radical than the AfD?
Yes, I would say that the Young Alternative is more radical. This can be seen from the fact that last year Hannes Gnauck was elected chairman, who was classified as an extremist by the military counterintelligence service of the Bundeswehr. The Junge Alternative is also very close to closing ranks with the Identity Movement. The AfD is comparatively moderate with Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla on the board, it lags behind the development by two or three years. The Young Alternative is the radicalization engine of the AfD, and it is very proud of it.
"Radicalization engine of the AfD"? A participant in a demonstration by the AfD youth organization Young Alternative holds a German flag. © Daniel Maurer/dpa
A kind of test run for the AfD
What reaction can we expect from the Young Alternative? Will it possibly moderate itself as a result of the decision?
It is not to be expected that it will moderate itself. Over time, the Young Alternative has become more and more radicalized in terms of its personnel and networking, and it will not abandon this course now. Its chairman Gnauck has already announced his intention to take legal action against the classification by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
Even the parent party AfD does not take the decision as an opportunity to distance itself, but shows solidarity with the Young Alternative. For the AfD, this is a kind of test run: Which public strategies are now successful, on the one hand legally, on the other hand in the media? After all, it is certainly the case that the AfD as a whole could one day be classified as right-wing extremist.
How will it affect the AfD as a whole that its youth organization is now considered right-wing extremist?
I suspect this will not have any direct consequences. Especially in the east, it will bother very few. For the West, the communicative strategy is that the classification as right-wing extremist is a politically motivated judgment and has nothing to do with the fact that one is really right-wing extremist. If one were to assume that the decision would bother its own voters greatly, the AfD would now distance itself more from its youth organization.
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My Area
Why did the decision of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution come right now?
For the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, individual indications have become certain that the activities of the Young Alternative violate the constitution. The decisive factor is that the Young Alternative propagates a völkisch concept of society. Germans are divided into two classes: on the one hand, the "ethnic" Germans according to their definition and, on the other hand, the "passport Germans", i.e. people who have a German passport but have, for example, a migration background. This idea of who is german and who is not violates our Basic Law.
Right-wing extremism expert Jan Riebe from the non-profit Amadeu Antonio Foundation. The foundation aims to strengthen civil society against racism, right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism. © Private
There are many radicals in the Young Alternative who are convinced of their views
What are the consequences of the decision in favour of the Young Alternative?
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution can now observe the organization on the basis of intelligence measures, such as observing, listening to telephone calls and recruiting and infiltrating informants.
The Young Alternative and the AfD are now arguing that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is not neutral because it is part of the SPD-led Ministry of the Interior and therefore decides according to the SPD line. What can be done to counter this?
This is a clear strategy of the Young Alternative and the AfD. It's about sending a signal to the members internally: The decision of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution only shows that we are the only true opposition. It sounds paradoxical, but the classification as right-wing extremist even serves as a kind of seal of approval for the Young Alternative: We are becoming dangerous to the rulers, which is why they now classify us as right-wing extremists.
How does the classification as right-wing extremist affect the members of the organization? Will some take a step back?
The decision may lead to young people who go there and work in the public sector at the same time officially leave the organization or avoid being seen there. But the Young Alternative is a fairly small organization with about 2100 members. A wave of resignations is not to be expected, there are too many radicals who are very convinced of their views.
What kind of young people are involved in the Young Alternative?
They are mainly young, male academics, many from student fraternities and fraternities. For the most part, the members come from a right-wing, intellectual milieu. And they are often so-called movement rights, i.e. those who like to take part in actions and demos. In contrast to some in the AfD, who see going to parliament as a way to change something, they tend to cross the street.
And how does the organization recruit new members?
Very much through social media, especially Instagram, but also TikTok and Facebook. But also events that create society such as regulars' tables, computer game events, football tournaments, hikes, solstice celebrations, training courses and readings. Overall, the events are a mixture of physical training and ideological training. They serve as group events for people who are not sure yet and want to see the whole thing first.
The interview was conducted by Stephanie Munk.