AfD supporters celebrate as exit polls are announced

Projected results put the AfD on 13%, behind Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat-led alliance on 32.9% and the Social Democratic party on 20.8%. The rightwing populist party’s delegates are expected to take more than 80 out of 631 seats in the next parliament.

While the result may not be on the scale of 52% of Britons voting to leave the European Union or 46% of US voters casting their ballot for Donald Trump, it nonetheless represents a landmark in postwar German history.

Germany’s rightwing populists will arrive in the Bundestag with the best result for any new party since 1949, a higher share of the vote than either the Greens or the leftwing Die Linke have achieved in several decades.

In the states that used to form East Germany, AfD looks likely to become the second-largest party.

AfD may not be the first far-right party to enter the Bundestag since the second world war: until 1960 a number of small nationalist groups took part in the coalition government under West Germany’s first post-war chancellor, Konrad Adenauer.

But it will be the first party with an overtly nationalist rhetoric and agenda to claim seats in Berlin’s Reichstag, a building that still echoes with the horrors of the Nazi era.

AfD leaders vow to ‘hound Angela Merkel’ after strong showing at polls (Guardian)

Here is the problem: A far-right party has achieved substantial support even in Germany, a country with a history that serves as a warning of what the far right can do in power, and a political establishment that has long paid attention to confronting the right.

Germany furthermore lacks many of the characteristics commonly associated with far-right populism — the economy is in good shape, the unemployment rate is low, and Germany’s power and prestige are at a historic high. All this says that citizens are more disaffected and populism has greater appeal than many analysts have recognized.

Behind the ‘boring’ German election are four deeply disturbing trends (Washington Post)

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88 thoughts on “Mad Das Volk

  1. Milo

    I wonder if the continuing rise of the fascist secular left is a reaction to, or the reason behind the rise of the right wing movements around the world.

    1. A snowflake's chance in hell

      Of course it is. Fascists only exist BECAUSE look over there other fascists.

      Do you ever leave the dunghill Milo?

      1. ahjayzis

        Ah leave him be. He’s only a lonely confused idiot because we’re such bad people.

        And he’s getting fat because communists like carvery lunch.

        1. A snowflake's chance in hell

          I’m happy to engage with the clown all day.

          Every time he opens his mouth it’s to utter some nasty mealy mouthed slur about foreigners.

  2. Rob_G

    “Germany furthermore lacks many of the characteristics commonly associated with far-right populism — the economy is in good shape, the unemployment rate is low, and Germany’s power and prestige are at a historic high.”

    – the author seems to be forgetting the influx of refugees over the last couple of years, which was a bit of a touchstone for the far right.

    1. Listrade

      The author is falling for the same metropolitan “sure things are grand where I am” bull that the British media fell for with Brexit and the American media fell for with Trump.

      Like Ireland, Britain and America, Germany may be doing ok as a whole, but that is all in the old West. As always, the South of England is just tickety boo, but the North still hasn’t recovered from the collapse of coal and steel and has been hit hardest by austerity.

      East Germany does not share the prosperity of the West.

      You can’t expect large swathes of people who are being left behind to keeping voting for a status quo that is hurting them.

      It’s easier to brand people as racist (undoubtedly some are) while reflecting on how cosmopolitan, enlightened and progressive we are in the booming cities. I mean, last week I had to wait forty minutes for a bus even though the app said it was five minutes away. While these racist bigots just don’t understand the benefits I’ve gained from free travel and the EU. I had the best weekend in Budapest, lovely place, you must go and my Erasmus in Amsterdam was the best thing I’ve ever done.

      We all suffered in the recession, I didn’t get a pay rise for two years and my Christmas bonus went from 5 figures to 4. I had to skip a year on my iphone upgrade. But that’s gone now. It was tough there for a while though.

      The far right populists are using immigration as the easy target for blame, but they’re also using breaking the status quo. As we’ve seen in the US and UK, there are those who take the racist messaging and that is their fixation. The concern is those that are happy to ignore the racist messaging to listen to the other stuff about breaking the status quo.

      We can call them racist and justify it, but it means continuing to ignore them and their situations from seats of privileged. When the groups of actual racists take to the streets we can settle back and breathe a sigh of relief and use this as our proof that we were right all along. That those people in their 50s who have always been on low pay, who’ve been let go and taken back on on less money and worse contracts, who never had a chance to go to college, who never had a chance of career progression, who were stuck in a factory or industry because it was all there was locally and they weren’t doing great at school so needed to earn something asap. Who’ve seen wealth stay with the centralised financial centres. Who don’t own their own homes. Who have given the main parties chance after chance to do something all these decades. That they’re just racist and don’t understand.

    2. Alan

      I work a lot in Germany. From the conversations I have listened to, it is the way the migrant crisis is being handled. They believe there is no distinction being made by the government between the economic migrant and the war migrant. The perception is that they are letting in everyone and it is changing the face of German cities. Over a year ago the biggest fear from the guys I work with was the rise of the right because of the fear being created about migrants. Yesterday proves now they are correct about those fears. I was in Germany last week and the next fear is that when they get into government they will have access to more money from the government and be able to organize and fiance themselves better. Like Trump who got into power with an “America first” policy, these guys will use the same platform of an “Germany first” platform. They will use fear to promote a nationalist agenda. These guys are no longer someone to laugh at and need to be taken as a serious threat. Merkel will need to start promoting that she is listening to the “Common man” to counteract these guys.

        1. A snowflake's chance in hell

          Your sneering insults demean you and do not deserve a response other than to occasionally point out your errors and ask you to amend your boring, nasty ways.

          1. Boj

            Ah, the yellow pack commenter. That german geek has more insight than you on this hence the proposed invite. How you don’t see this is worrying.

          2. A snowflake's chance in hell

            I don’t see how that would be the case. He’s been living over here for donkey’s years.
            But whatever. I note with regret how my having an opinion on any subject triggers you all, you’re like a bunch of foul-smelling billy goats.

          3. A snowflake's chance in hell

            “read in a high, camp voice”

            Unsurprisingly considering how emasculated Annoying Commentator is

          4. A snowflake's chance in hell

            Boj knows that Milo. He joined in the cat-call last week, a few of the usual bewildered street urchins were off collecting their dole that day, so he minded the slop.

            Yellow pack is not a racist term Milo. . It is a racist term when used to refer to a person of oriental ethnicity. You’re welcome.

      1. bad@memes

        I think you’re being sarcastic.
        Am I right correct?

        I’d love to see you on it, but the chances of that are similar to a snowfla…

        It doesn’t matter.

  3. Zuppy International

    The full name of the German Nazi Party was the “National Socialist German Workers’ Party”

    That puts them squarely on the left of the political spectrum, like all fascists.

    But the left, being the cowards that they are, will never admit the truth of their intentions, or their history, and will instead tar anybody who opposes their murderous/destructive agenda with the fascist label.

    So the premise that the AfD are the new Nazis is just Monday morning’s fake news on Broadsheet.

      1. A snowflake's chance in hell

        Finally something we can agree on. I feel like I’m going to be sick in my mouth though.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            memes has earned the right to do whatever the fupp he wants.

            This is his site. Even Bodger knows that now.

          2. A snowflake's chance in hell

            Annoying Commentator 2 writes:
            Hey look at me, I have all the opinions. Make sure you get a good look, it’s me remember! I used to be cool but now I just write nonsense on the internet.

            Annoying Commentator 3 writes:
            ooh! look at AC 2! look at how clever he is! mmms I’m feeling all watery-eyed

    1. ahjayzis

      Why do you live on this fascist website then?

      You’re first in the gas chamber, by the way.

      The gas will be organic naturally occurring fairtrade etc. The chamber is a desiged for disassembly strawbale affair.

    2. MoyestWithExcitement

      “The full name of the German Nazi Party was the “National Socialist German Workers’ Party””

      The full name of North Korea is Democratic People’s Republic of Korea so I guess republics and democracies are bad.

  4. Jake38

    Interesting that this crew are now the second biggest party in the German regions that formed the old East Germany.

    I guess 40 years of living in a workers paradise will do that to the average voter.

    1. bad@memes

      Guess
      verb
      1. to arrive at or commit oneself to an opinion about (something) without having sufficient evidence to support the opinion fully:

      Your turn…

  5. snowey

    I like when right wing parties get elected.

    on a serious note
    The right will offer balance – I think having all views represented at parliament is better for society keeps everybody in the tent p1ssing out and means some grouping are less likely to be underground.

    This is a good indicator that the politics of shouting down and labelling those that against things like multi-culturialism etc… isn’t working (and good says) me
    Call people names because they don’t want a mass influx of other mostly non compatible cultures if you like..but don’t get upset when they band together and vote for parties that will give them what the want and ultimately ones that don’t label them.

    on a blasé level – it upsets the chattering classes I’d imagine people like matt cooper / chris donoghue and other irish time luuvies are crying into their smoked salmon bagels while paul murphy /ruth coppinger are unable to finish their lentil breakfast due to loss of appetite. glorious.

    1. ahjayzis

      Is this a translation of a letter to the Allgemeine Zeitung after the 1930 election or something?

      Honestly, think about what you write in it’s historical context.

      1. Milo

        How do you propose dealing with the fact that so many people don’t want refugees and will vote accordingly? As was mentioned above, this is democracy in action. When Merkel says she is taking in 1 million people, she gets a back lash. Like Trump, like Brexit. It doesn’t make it right, but it makes it real. So if you want to stop the rise of the right, you need to do more than wish it away.

        1. ahjayzis

          What if it’s Jews they ‘don’t want’ or gays?

          What’s to be ‘done’ then with that xenophobic gripe? Should we respect that? Take action on the basis of it?

          The refugee crisis was appallingly handled, the numbers were a drop in the bucket for Europe, but a massive torrent for the countries that remained after most closed their borders and refused to take any or a paltry amount.

          Germany acted like a country that’s learned the elssons of the past, the brave thing to do – fascist surge in the polls.

          Hungary acted like a cowardly, backward hole – fascist surge in the polls.

          It’s not as easy as turning starving people away at the border.

          1. Milo

            Exactly, what if they turn on the jews again? And vote in anti jewish policies.Or anti gay policies? Im just asking you, what do you do when a whole bunch of people don’t agree with you and act on their right to vote against you? Its called democracy, even when it doesn’t suit your point of view. Do you riot? Do you campaign? Do you revolt?

          2. Cian

            Milo has a valid point.

            Most countries have one of more laws that I would find abhorrent[1] – but in saying that, it is their country – their laws.

            If a country decides that it doesn’t want to accept refugees, give non nationals many rights, restricts the movement of people (I’m looking at you Switzerland) that is their prerogative; your country: your rules. It’s only when a country is very out of step with ‘normality’ the UN may step in and impose sanctions (e.g. genocide).

            But, at the end of the day, your country: your rules.

            [1] e.g. USA (and others) allows executions.

          3. Cian

            His valid point is that the Germans live in a democracy, and if the majority of them vote for (say) anti-gay policies then they, as a country, have anti-gay policies. And there is little we can do about it.

      2. snowey

        I refuse too – I live in the present.
        The idea that all right wing , even those labelled far right are Nazi or anything approaching Nazism is nonsense…and quite a dangerous thing in alienating people.

        1. Clampers Outside!

          Apparently, i’m a Nazi…. as well as a bunch of other nasty things…. I could always take up religion again, for redemption, maybe Islam this time. No, wait…I like bacon.

          Oooooohh, I’ll never be able to save my self from evil… so sad…

          1. MoyestWithExcitement

            Clampers Outside!
            September 25, 2017 at 12:41 pm
            Aaaaand straight into victimhood mode…………. snowflakes eh…

            You are not a smart man.

  6. Jimmey Russell

    these people are LITERALLY nazis how are they even aloud to be a party? these people are genocidal lunatics they CANNOT be aloud to kill all the refugees, europe is for everyone there cannot be a party aloud to take power that wants to take us back to the days of national borders and checked, regulated immigration, in many ways it’s no different from the holocaust #refugeeswelcome #punchnazis

  7. Spaghetti Hoop

    Tiring the way reporters constantly include a sly and lazy reference to the Third Reich when discussing German politics. Facism was all over Europe in the 1930s. My German friends get totally cheesed off with this.

    1. bad@memes

      Where did they steal that cheese from? France or somewhere like that, yeah?

      You’re a very weak apologist.
      If I was your Kommandant I would be asking for your badge.

      Master Race me botty.
      Yiz are comical.

        1. A snowflake's chance in hell

          It really is.

          In response to you I posted some stuff earlier about the Dylan song “with God on their side” and for some reason it was zapped. With respect to your excellent point it fits the type of insular mindset we have on these islands to always have a blame merchant to pin stuff on

          1. A snowflake's chance in hell

            You’re really going to the dogs now Barnie

            Don’t worry Bear in the Big Blue House will be starting soon.

          2. bad@memes

            …for some reason…

            Say it like it is Man… You’re being persecuted for NO reason, by nobody.
            You are the voice of reason.
            The people NEED you.

            I’m only messing.
            Good luck in your Junior Cert next year.

        2. bad@memes

          Apologist
          Noun
          1….a person who makes a defence in speech or writing of a belief, idea, etc.

          I like facts meself. I’m a bit weird like that. It’s kind’ve a thing with me.
          Presumption and speculation are your forté, but that’s because you’re an idiot.

          You;re White.
          Of course you’re right.
          You couldn’t be more Right.

  8. bad@memes

    PS.
    This is OUR planet.
    It doesn’t matter how many people in YOUR corner agree with your twisted views.
    It will NEVER be your planet, so poo you and those idiots too.

  9. jusayinlike

    Wow look it’s another far right brigade, and look just like trump, wilders, farage and le pen they’re anti Islam and pro Israel.. no doubt they’re all funded by Robert Mercer..

    1. Rob_G

      Le Pen is anti-Israel (as has been previously pointed out to you on this website), but don’t let that get in the way of your fact-free rant.

    2. bad@memes

      You forgot their most defining elements.

      I’m not going to call them stupid, retrogressive, redundant, retarded, bigoted, blinkered , uneducated, self-serving*, poo-stirring racists. That’s not my job. I have Mexicans who can do that for me.
      Unfortunately they’re very busy NOT paying for a wall right now.

      They’re very funny like that.
      You should get to know them.
      Being good is not defined by Geography.
      Religion is

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