Australians with German backgrounds reflect on what the AfD’s growing support means to them personally.
Germany’s political landscape has come into focus globally after the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) made historic gains in recent state elections, including a strong result in Saxony-Anhalt. The party’s rise has prompted concern among many Germans at home and abroad, particularly given its positions on migration, the European Union and how Germany’s history is taught in schools. So how do Germans in Australia feel about it all? Plus, is the AfD’s success primarily an eastern German phenomenon, what do the recent election results reveal about voter behaviour and the complex social, historical and economic forces shaping contemporary German politics.
In this episode:
- Why the AfD’s historic gains in Saxony-Anhalt are causing concern among many Germans, including those living in Australia.
- Germans in Australia, including 69-year-old Andreas, reflect on migration, memory and the lasting impact of reunification on regional politics.
- Associate Professor of European and German studies at the University of New South Wales, Andrew Beattie explains the rise of the AfD and what voting patterns reveal about the party’s support among younger voters, men and different regions of Germany.
- How economic pressures and political frustration are influencing voters across the political spectrum.
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