Alternative for Germany is on its way to electoral victory in Thuringia and Saxony.
The far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, seems to be on its way to a big victory in the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony in eastern Germany a week from now.
Friday night’s knife attack in Solingen may further increase support for the anti-immigration party.
AfD quickly got going
In Thuringia, the second member of the AfD’s two-person presidency Björn Höcke didn’t arrive early.
Already a few hours after the attack, Höcke posted a video from Solingen on the messaging service X and asked if Germans and the people of Thuringia want to get used to such conditions. He called on the voters to free themselves from force-fed multiculturalism.
Höcke’s message was that now is the time to take away the dominance of traditional parties.
At this stage, there was still no definite information about the perpetrator, but the police have since said that the suspected stabber is a Syrian man who applied for asylum.
In Saxony, where the AfD is in a tight battle with the Christian Democrats for the top spot, the party’s message was that the Christian Democrats will not do anything to change the situation, but accept the growing immigration.
In Germany, you can read estimates according to which the attack in Solingen will increase the support of the AfD. Only the AfD can benefit from the debate that is now likely to follow, write for example the editor of the left-wing Taz magazine in a comment.
A win in any case
AfD is Bild magazine emerging as the largest party in both Thuringia and Saxony based on an opinion poll published on Sunday. The Solingen blow did not have time to affect the results of this survey.
Also a left-wing populist politician Sahra Wagenknecht the group led by is gathering strong support.
More information about the Solingen suspect
After the knife attack in Solingen, factors have come to light that can further strengthen the AfD’s message.
According to Der Spiegel magazine according to EU rules, the Syrian man suspected of the act should have originally been returned to Bulgaria for asylum processing. The man disappeared, and he could not be sent out of the country before the deadline. After that, he was allowed to stay in Germany under so-called secondary protection.
in Germany politicians have been blamed of empty talk and helplessness in the face of growing insecurity.
It’s not just about high-profile events like Solingen, but in general of increased violent crime. Here too, AfD offers solutions or at least knows how to bark at other parties.
The party wants tougher measures in the fight against crime and connects crime with immigration.