As of: January 18, 2024, 9:03 p.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Tens of thousands take to the streets in anti-AfD demonstrations.
But ban debates and protests against Björn Höcke could benefit right-wing extremist forces, says a political scientist.
Berlin - For a few days now, the often-maligned silent majority has been loud: tens of thousands have taken to the streets in many cities to protest against the AfD.
The reason is reports about a secret AfD meeting, which, among other things, discussed the expulsion of migrants and political dissidents.
AfD ban and protest against Björn Höcke
A petition to strip the right-wing extremist Thuringian AfD politician Björn Höcke of his basic rights recently caused a stir.
The debate about a ban on the AfD has also reignited.
Political consultant Johannes Hillje believes: These ideas could possibly play into the hands of right-wing extremists.
“I'm not so sure it's wise the way the debate is going.
There is a danger that it will ultimately benefit the AfD,” said Hillje in an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
Above all, the timing is difficult and too situation-driven.
“I don’t think it’s productive to speculate publicly before the state elections in East Germany about what or who could be banned.” Such a procedure would not be feasible until the state elections anyway.
“The signal: The political opponents can’t think of anything other than banning procedures,” says Hillje.
Increased self-confidence of right-wing extremists
He is currently observing increased self-confidence among right-wing extremists, not just in Germany.
A recent gathering of neo-fascists in Italy caused outrage, with hundreds giving the Hitler salute.
“They are selectively reducing their strategic self-trivialization and expressing their radical positions more clearly,” says Hillje.
A kind of right-wing disinhibition across Europe.
AfD sends double messages
This also applies to the AfD and its reactions to the reports from the secret meeting: “The AfD is sending double messages.
Although she appeases, she does not distance herself politically.
On the one hand, you want to be compatible with the center, but on the other hand you want to say to the core electorate: Yes, we stand for exactly these right-wing extremist positions.”
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AfD already arm in arm with the new right wing of the Identitarian Movement in 2019
The fact that the party is linked to right-wing extremist forces did not surprise many after the secret meeting revelation.
In fact, in 2019 you could already see AfDers and new rightists from the orbit of the Identitarian Movement arm in arm celebrating the state election results together at the Italian restaurant in Erfurt.
The Thuringian AfD with Björn Höcke won 23.4 percent of the votes at that time.
This year there could be significantly more: in surveys the party was recently at 36 percent in the state.
In Saxony and Brandenburg, where elections will also take place in 2024, the Blues are also over 30 percent.
AfD demos in many cities: “Concrete deportation plans have a new quality”
A federal state under a right-wing extremist AfD government: That is suddenly conceivable.
This is probably one reason for the broad resistance that is currently forming in many cities.
A second reason: “The concretization of deportation plans has a new quality,” says Johannes Hillje.
“It is clear to a majority: It is not just about deporting people who are obliged to leave the country, but also about deporting people with a migration background and citizens who think differently politically.” This obviously scares many people to the core.