The city of Berlin, according to an AFP report. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), previously known for its anti-immigration stance, has achieved a significant increase in national polls. This can be attributed to the growing dissatisfaction among the public towards the government in Berlin and its climate agenda.
According to the latest survey by national broadcaster ARD, the far-right party would secure 18 per cent of the total votes if elections were held tomorrow.
According to the closely monitored election monitor, the AfD has achieved its highest figure, which is on par with the Social Democrats led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. It is second only to the conservative CDU-CSU, with 29 per cent of the vote.
According to recent polls, the AfD has emerged as the leading political party in the eastern regions of Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg.
The party is utilizing anti-immigration sentiment and attempting to benefit from discontent with Scholz’s ruling coalition with the Greens and the pro-business FDP.
The AfD has targeted the German government’s efforts to address the country’s energy system, which has been affected by the cost of living crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to Ursula Muench, a political scientist at the Bundeswehr University Munich, the AfD has recently become interested in climate protection.
The term ‘heating hammer’ refers to a tool or device designed to apply heat to a material or object to soften or shape it.
The AfD, which stands for Alternative for Germany, was initially established in 2013 as a political group that opposed using the euro currency. However, the party later gained momentum by tapping into the widespread public dissatisfaction with the decision made by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2015 to permit a large influx of asylum seekers from countries that were experiencing conflicts, such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
In the 2017 general election, the party garnered almost 13% of the vote, which resulted in its entry into the German Bundestag. However, in the most recent national election held in 2021, the party’s vote share declined to 10%.
According to Hajo Funke, a political scientist at the Free University of Berlin, the recent polling rebound can be attributed to the disagreement on crucial issues such as climate within Scholz’s three-way coalition.
Recently, there has been a dispute among the coalition members regarding a proposal presented by the economy ministry led by the Green Party. The proposal aims to prohibit the installation of new boilers that use fossil fuels and decrease emissions.
The far-right party has capitalized on concerns regarding energy-induced inflation to criticize the government’s climate policy. The policy has been criticized by Bild, a well-read tabloid, as a “heating hammer” for consumers.
According to Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of AfD, voters are observing the outcome of the Greens’ value-based politics, leading to economic conflict, inflation, and deindustrialization. This statement was made to the Funke media group.
-‘Resentment’-
According to political scientist Muench, the AfD is effectively generating momentum and shaping public opinion by criticizing the government’s purportedly expensive climate policy, as reported by AFP.
According to her statement, the far-right faction in the Bundestag has outperformed the primary opposition CDU in leveraging the resentment and lack of comprehension regarding the heating law.
According to Funke’s statement to AFP, the government’s efforts to address concerns regarding increasing bills have been insufficient, and their communication regarding the matter is inadequate.
The internal conflict within the government has adversely impacted the public perception of the governing parties. According to the ARD poll, the satisfaction rate with the work carried out by Scholz’s coalition is 20% among voters.
According to Funke, the AfD’s success is contingent upon the negative perception of politics. As long as this perception persists, the party will continue to flourish.
Although climate issues were a significant factor in voters’ shift towards the AfD, migration concerns remained a fundamental aspect of the party’s appeal. According to the ARD poll, nearly 66% of the AfD voters cited the issue as a decisive factor in their choice.
The issue of refugees continues to persist as the influx of individuals seeking asylum in Germany has increased in the aftermath of the conflict in Ukraine.
According to Muench, it is anticipated that the AfD will persist in prioritizing the matter above during their campaigns.