Interview mit dem Handelsblatt: Thüringen, die AfD und die Zukunft der früheren Großparteien

Mit Dietmar Neuerer vom Handelsblatt habe ich ausführlich über die das Ergebnis der Thüringen-Wahl und die wahrscheinlichen Konsequenzen für die deutsche Politik gesprochen. In der Online-Ausgabe gibt es das Gespräch im vollen Wortlaut. [contentcards url="https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/interview-zur-thueringen-wahl-ungewoehnliche-mehr-parteien-koalitionen-werden-zur-normalitaet-werden/25160996.html" target="_blank"]

Another AfD leader speaks at a far-right “institute”

The ‘Institut für Staatspolitik’ is a well-known far-right ‘think tank’. Their self-stated meta-political mission is to educate the future nationalist. The long-term objective is to achieve a stealthy transformation of German society. They have been around for a while, and there are books and chapters about them, written by people who study right-wing extremism for…

Video: The AfD’s transformation, 2013-2017

The “Alternative for Germany” began its political life as a softly eurosceptic breakaway from the political mainstream but has changed beyond all recognition. Using a very large dataset covering the full 2013-17 period, Carl Berning and I trace the transformation of the AfD’s electorate, which now fits the somewhat stereotypical radical right template. Read the full article, or watch the highlights in just under 90 seconds.

How the AfD and their voters veered to the Radical Right, 2013-17

[button url=”https://www.kai-arzheimer.com/alternative-for-germany-voters” target=”blank” background=”#c8232b” size=”20″ center=”yes”]Read the full article (ungated)[/button]

Mad Christian Democrats, the AfD’s internal conflicts, useless US polls, and the Wellcome Monitor: four links I liked

Mad Christian Democrats, the AfD's internal conflicts, useless US polls, and the Wellcome Monitor: four links I liked 4

On a very slow news day, two third-tier politicians for the centre-right CDU phantasise over future coalitions with the “moderates/liberals” within the AfD (where would they find them?). Ah yes, they also want to re-unite “the National” and “the Social”, which, by the lego-like greatness of the German language, becomes the “National-Social”. James F. Downes…

Regional support for the “Alternative for Germany” varies wildly

Regional support for the

The AfD was founded near Germany’s financial centre of gravity (Frankfort) by members of the old western elites. But early on, the eastern states of Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia became important for the further development of the party. It was here, during the 2014 state election season, that the AfD began to toy (very reluctantly…

Illegal AfD donations, Hobbes, #rstats, and social-media wars: 5 links I liked

Illegal AfD donations, Hobbes, #rstats, and social-media wars: 5 links I liked 6

More on the AfD’s donation scandal(s): media report that the ultimate source of the illicit donations to Alice Weidel is a German billionaire dynasty. The family also donated to the Swiss SVP. You will not be surprised to hear that they have pan-European global interests, moved to Switzerland, became dual nationals, and divide their time…