German Chancellor Urges 'Firewall' Around AfD

Published SEP 2 2024

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Above: Björn Höcke, lead candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the state of Thuringia, walks between television interviews at the Thuringia State Parliament following the closure of polling stations on September 1,2024. Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Spin

The election results in Thuringia and Saxony are a cause of anxiety for the Social Democrats and their coalition allies. However, the AfD must be prevented from gaining any significant political power. The AfD poses a threat to Germany, undermining the economy and dividing society. All democratic parties must work together to build stable governments free of right-wing extremism.

Dw.Com

The AfD is the people's party for Thuringia and the eastern part of the country. The people have given the AfD a strong mandate to govern. Mr. Scholz is now trying to weaken the democratic participation of a large section of the population. Any attempts to block or freeze out the AfD are manifestly undemocratic and should be ignored. This is a dangerously autocratic move.

BBC News

Anti-establishment parties are changing the German landscape. The conservative CDU has stated it would not rule with the extreme right, making it difficult to form a new government in Thuringia. In order to keep the far right out, the CDU will require left-wing parties on the left, Die Linke or Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW, to create a government coalition, which is improbable.

Politico

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 5% chance the Christian Democratic Union of Germany will announce that it is open to negotiating a coalition with the Alternative for Germany before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.