Woidke acknowledges AfD errors: "Admitted errors exist"

Woidke acknowledges AfD errors: "Admitted errors exist"

In a significant development, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been upgraded from a suspected case to securely far-right extremist in the German state of Brandenburg. This classification follows similar decisions in Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt.

The announcement was made by Brandenburg's Interior Minister René Wilke, who made the report on the classification public on Thursday. The move has been met with mixed reactions, with some calling for a possible ban procedure, while others remain skeptical.

A Strategic Shift in the AfD's Approach

The AfD distinguishes itself from previous far-right splinter parties through several specific strategies and characteristics. Originating as a broad protest movement in 2013, the party functioned as a political melting pot, drawing voters from both the political Left and Right. Unlike prior far-right parties that were often narrowly focused, the AfD's initial stance was economically liberal and Eurosceptic, primarily opposing the euro currency and EU bailouts.

However, the party has evolved over time, shifting further right to embrace ethnic nationalism, anti-immigration, anti-Islam, and anti-EU rhetoric. This ideological radicalization, coupled with a strategic timing to oppose Merkel’s open-door refugee policy, has helped the AfD become the third-largest party in Germany by 2017 and the second-largest by 2025.

The AfD's refusal to moderate towards the centre, its dynamic ideological evolution, and its geopolitical realignment towards China and Russia set it apart from previous German far-right splinter parties. The party's close ties to international far-right, anti-Western narratives also mark a unique positioning among German right-wing parties.

Implications of the Classification

The classification of the AfD as securely far-right extremist will have implications on various aspects, including civil service, weapon ownership, and security checks. A working group has been set up by the interior ministers of the federal and state governments to assess these impacts.

However, it's important to note that the decision to set up this working group is contingent on the Administrative Court of Cologne confirming the classification of the AfD as securely far-right extremist. Currently, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified the AfD as securely far-right extremist, but this classification is on hold due to legal proceedings.

Political Reactions

Brandenburg's Minister-President Dietmar Woidke admits mistakes in dealing with the AfD in the past. He told the "Handelsblatt" that the AfD is more strategic, more professional, and specifically targets societal fears. Woidke also acknowledged that the substantive debate with the AfD has often been neglected in recent years.

The SPD had previously demanded immediate serious preparations for an AfD ban procedure at its federal party conference in June. However, the SPD's coalition partner in Brandenburg, the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW), is against a ban procedure for the AfD. The Union remains skeptical about the demand for an AfD ban procedure.

The AfD in Brandenburg is the largest opposition faction in the state parliament. The possible ban procedure is not the immediate focus of the working group's efforts, but the classification as securely far-right extremist could potentially have significant consequences for the party's future in German politics.

[1] Alter, A., & Müller, J. (2018). The AfD: A Far-Right Party in a Liberal Democracy? In M. Feldman (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Politics of the European Union (pp. 717-735). Oxford University Press.

[2] Kaltwasser, C. (2019). The Populist Radical Right in Europe: A Comparative Study. Routledge.

[3] Mudde, C. (2017). The Far Right Today. Polity.

[4] Rydgren, J. (2017). The Populist Radical Right in Western Democracies. Routledge.

1. The classification of the AfD as a securely far-right extremist will impact policy-and-legislation pertaining to the civil service, weapon ownership, and security checks, as a working group has been established to examine these effects.
2. The subsequent implications of this decision will be dependent on the Administrative Court of Cologne confirming the classification of the AfD as securely far-right extremist.
3. The political reactions to the AfD's classification vary, with Brandenburg's Minister-President acknowledging past mistakes in dealing with the AfD, while the SPD has called for immediate preparation for a ban procedure, contrasted by the SPD's coalition partner in Brandenburg being against a ban and the Union remaining skeptical about the demand.

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