Difference between revisions of "Alternative for Germany"

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(→‎History: Better wording.)
(→‎History: it's your right not to believe it, but under Lucke the AfD was like an anti-Euro FDP)
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The AfD was founded in 2013 by economics professor Bernd Lucke.<ref name="Germany'sFarage">Zeronian, Sarkis (July 5, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/07/05/germanys-farage-becomes-leader-of-eurosceptic-alternative-for-germany-party/ ‘Germany’s Farage’ Becomes Leader Of Eurosceptic Alternative For Germany Party]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref> Although the party was relatively conservative and [[Euroskeptic]] (it mainly opposed the Eurozone<ref name="BBC"/>), it was a neo-liberal party that attracted middle class opponents of the [[Eurozone]].<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/> The party made several gains during this time, with seven AfD members being elected to the [[European Parliament]] in 2014.<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37274201 What does Alternative for Germany (AfD) want?]. ''BBC''. September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref>
 
The AfD was founded in 2013 by economics professor Bernd Lucke.<ref name="Germany'sFarage">Zeronian, Sarkis (July 5, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2015/07/05/germanys-farage-becomes-leader-of-eurosceptic-alternative-for-germany-party/ ‘Germany’s Farage’ Becomes Leader Of Eurosceptic Alternative For Germany Party]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref> Although the party was relatively conservative and [[Euroskeptic]] (it mainly opposed the Eurozone<ref name="BBC"/>), it was a neo-liberal party that attracted middle class opponents of the [[Eurozone]].<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/> The party made several gains during this time, with seven AfD members being elected to the [[European Parliament]] in 2014.<ref name="BBC">[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37274201 What does Alternative for Germany (AfD) want?]. ''BBC''. September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref>
  
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A power struggle within the party soon broke out, with Lucke, who wanted the party to focus on an anti-Euro policy, being opposed by Frauke Petry and her conservative, right-wing faction that emphasized law and order, [[European immigration|immigration]], conservative social views, and [[Islam]].<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/>
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A power struggle within the party soon broke out, with Lucke, who wanted the party to focus only on an anti-Euro policy, being opposed by Frauke Petry and her conservative, right-wing faction that emphasized law and order, [[European immigration|immigration]], conservative social views, and [[Islam]].<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/>
  
 
In the AfD party elections of July 2015, Petry won 68 percent of the vote, becoming the new leader of the party.<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/> The liberal Lucke subsequently left the party and formed his own.<ref name="BBC"/> Additionally, five of the party's seven MEP's left the party.<ref name="BBC"/> The AfD quickly adopted Petry's conservative, right-wing populist agenda, and it continued its support for a referendum over leaving the Eurozone.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="Telegraph">Huggler, Justin (September 4, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/04/germanys-far-right-afd-unseats-angela-merkels-party-in-key-regio/ Germany's far-right AfD hands defeat to Angela Merkel's party in key regional vote]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref>
 
In the AfD party elections of July 2015, Petry won 68 percent of the vote, becoming the new leader of the party.<ref name="Germany'sFarage"/> The liberal Lucke subsequently left the party and formed his own.<ref name="BBC"/> Additionally, five of the party's seven MEP's left the party.<ref name="BBC"/> The AfD quickly adopted Petry's conservative, right-wing populist agenda, and it continued its support for a referendum over leaving the Eurozone.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="Telegraph">Huggler, Justin (September 4, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/04/germanys-far-right-afd-unseats-angela-merkels-party-in-key-regio/ Germany's far-right AfD hands defeat to Angela Merkel's party in key regional vote]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 31, 2016.</ref>

Revision as of 19:58, August 4, 2017

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a conservative, right-wing German political party. It is most known for its Euroskeptic views.

History

The AfD was founded in 2013 by economics professor Bernd Lucke.[1] Although the party was relatively conservative and Euroskeptic (it mainly opposed the Eurozone[2]), it was a neo-liberal party that attracted middle class opponents of the Eurozone.[1] The party made several gains during this time, with seven AfD members being elected to the European Parliament in 2014.[2]

A power struggle within the party soon broke out, with Lucke, who wanted the party to focus only on an anti-Euro policy, being opposed by Frauke Petry and her conservative, right-wing faction that emphasized law and order, immigration, conservative social views, and Islam.[1]

In the AfD party elections of July 2015, Petry won 68 percent of the vote, becoming the new leader of the party.[1] The liberal Lucke subsequently left the party and formed his own.[2] Additionally, five of the party's seven MEP's left the party.[2] The AfD quickly adopted Petry's conservative, right-wing populist agenda, and it continued its support for a referendum over leaving the Eurozone.[2][3]

Under Petry's leadership, the AfD continued to grow dramatically, winning numerous seats in state parliaments.[3][4][5] The AfD formed an alliance with the Freedom Party of Austria in 2016 due to their shared Eurosceptic views.[6]

Despite AfD's shift to the right under Petry, she supported making alliances with the establishment German parties, something which brought her under much criticism from others in her party. Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel were elected as AfD's top candidates for the 2017 general election instead of Petry, who chose not to run.[7]

While the AfD was unable to gain any seats in the German national parliament in the 2013 election, it gained many seats in the European Parliament in 2014. It is in a strong position for the 2017 elections and is likely to gain seats within the Bundestag.

Views

The AfD is strongly Eurosceptic and opposes the centralization of the socialist and globalist European Union.[2] It supports leaving the EU if the socialistic organization does not reform and discontinue its centralization policies.[2] The party is similar in EU policy to other right-wing parties in Europe. Additionally, the AfD is pro-direct democracy and anti-establishment.[2]

The AfD strongly opposes Angela Merkel's reckless and leftist migration policy.[3][5] It does not believe Islam to be compatible with Western society.[3] The party has connections to Pegida, which strongly opposes the Islamification of Europe.[1][4]

Critics of the AfD, who mainly comprise liberals and the establishment, consider the AfD to be controlled by neo-Nazis or Nazi-sympathizers. Most conservatives disagree. One example held by critics is a January 2017 speech made in Dresden by AfD member Björn Höcke, considered by many to be racist and pro-Holocaust. While some AfD members (including party leader Petry) condemned his speech and launched a party exclusion trial of Höcke, many other AfD members supported him and his speech, such as the AfD Saarland.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Zeronian, Sarkis (July 5, 2016). ‘Germany’s Farage’ Becomes Leader Of Eurosceptic Alternative For Germany Party. Breitbart. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 What does Alternative for Germany (AfD) want?. BBC. September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huggler, Justin (September 4, 2016). Germany's far-right AfD hands defeat to Angela Merkel's party in key regional vote. The Telegraph. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 What is the Alternative for Germany?. DW. September 5, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Moulson, Geir (September 4, 2016). Anger over Merkel’s Syria refugee policy drives win for Alternative for Germany party. The Washington Times. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  6. ↑ Nationalist Austria-Germany summit held on Zugspitze summit. BBC. June 10, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  7. ↑ Germany’s Populist AfD Party Elects New Right Wing Leaders. Breitbart News. April 23, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2017.

External links

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