CIVICUS discusses the growth of the right-wing extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with Cynthia Freund-Möller and Matthias Meyer, project lead and research associate at the Right-Wing Studies Knowledge Network (Wi-REX). Wi-REX brings together knowledge from different disciplines, creates spaces for reflection and interaction for researchers, develops tailor-made formats for knowledge transfer between research, practice and civil society and supports young researchers working on the topic of right-wing extremism.
Ahead of Germany’s 23 February general election, X/Twitter owner Elon Musk, now a key Donald Trump advisor, endorsed the AfD, currently second in the polls. German politicians, including centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have defended freedom of speech while condemning Musk’s comments as a threat to democracy. Civil society groups have mobilised against the AfD’s rise, mirroring resistance to similar far-right movements across Europe. The AfD’s growing support heightens concerns about potential changes to Germany’s immigration policy and threats to democratic institutions.
