Latest news with #Weidel
DW
3 days ago
- Politics
- DW
AfD and radical Christians: An alliance of convenience? – DW – 05/31/2025
The radical right in Germany, Europe and the US portrays itself as the defender of the Christian West against Islam. But religion is not really at the heart of this conflict. "What's your name?" asked Alice Weidel of the young blond man who had just approached the co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party for an interview. "LE-O-NARD JÄ-GER is my name," Jäger, wearing a big black jacket over a white shirt, answered boldly. His hair was neatly combed back. "Perhaps you know me," he said. "I was on the trip to the US where we met Donald Trump!" Weidel smiled in a friendly but reserved way. In January, the far-right AfD held its national party congress in Riesa, in the eastern German state of Saxony. For Weidel, the congress wrapped up with a marathon of interviews. TV networks and newspapers wanted to know: Has the AfD become more radical? How far-right has the party become? But Weidel also made sure to set aside plenty of time for right-wing newspapers and YouTubers such as Leonard Jäger. His YouTube channel has half a million subscribers, and his interview with Weidel has been viewed over a million times. "You're always under fire from the media," the young man said, showing his support for the political leader. His interview lasted eight minutes and the main topic was God. Who is Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right AfD? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Alice Weidel on faith and God "Do you believe in God?" was his first question. Weidel launched into a somewhat roundabout answer: She talked about the water, minerals, and metals that make up the human body — about how fascinating she finds the question of God. And she also mentioned being a very introspective person. "I would like to believe, but I think I need a little more time." Jäger's online persona could be defined as defiant cheerfulness, and he often posts videos of himself engaging in debates with people at left-wing demonstrations. He discusses gender issues, the AfD, homosexuality, and God, and often edits his videos to make his critics look ridiculous. He believes that there are only two genders, that leftists want to introduce children to sex at an early age, and that the elites want to ban everything. In addition, Jäger's answer to the world's problems is often Jesus. Although Weidel doesn't not appear to be especially religious, the AfD does ride the wave of traditional Christian culture and values. The party stokes fears about Islam and a general uncertainty about change. YouTuber Leonard Jäger spoke to Alice Weidel about God Image: Ketzer der Neuzeit/Youtube To many, the image of an ideal world of cheerful snowy Christmas celebrations, peaceful churchgoers, and straightforward rules about right and wrong sounds like the solution for dealing with the complexity of the modern world, which is why, observers say, the AfD maintains close ties to Christian traditions. "My partner is Christian, and she is very devout," Weidel told Jäger. "Our children are also being raised as Christians. I think that's very important for laying a solid foundation." However, devout Christians are somewhat of a rarity in the AfD, and Germany's major Christian churches have accused the party of hate and incitement. Moreover, faith doesn't play as big a role in German society as it once did — a trend that is true for Europe as a whole. The AfD strongholds in eastern Germany are traditionally very secular. Exploiting Christian traditions So why the overtures to Christianity? "Because it is compatible with the political mainstream," said Matthias Kortmann, professor at the Technical University of Dortmund, where he specializes in examining the ties between religion and the radical right. "Many people, even those who don't sympathize with the AfD, would still agree that Christianity plays a special role in Germany's history and culture. And the AfD exploits that," Kortmann told DW. Germany's churches get creative about new ways to worship To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Most of the AfD's references to Christian values are made in their attacks on Islam, which they associate with immigration. Ever since hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Middle East began arriving in Germany in 2015, the party has been warning of the downfall of Western civilization and what they call "population replacement." The AfD often claims that other political parties are deliberately flooding Germany with Muslims in order to destroy their own culture. Around 83 million people live in Germany, 25% of whom have some immigrant background. However, the percentage of Muslims remains much lower. According to official figures from 2020, there are approximately 5.5 million Muslims in Germany, only 6.6% of the population. Nevertheless, prominent AfD politicians like Beatrix von Storch argue that Germany is undergoing a "de-Christianization." In an interview with DW, she warned of the "growing influence of Islamic movements on culture, society, and politics, and the shrinking role of Christian values in public discourse." Von Storch is also a devout Catholic. "I see my duties as serving God and humanity, with a responsibility to promote what is good and to do what is right," she said. AfD lawmaker Beatrix von Storch worries about the shrinking role of Christian values in public discourse in Germany Image: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa/picture alliance Punished for transphobia For von Storch, her faith means fighting abortion, the queer community, and, above all, transgenderism. In fact, her transphobic remarks have got her in trouble in the Bundestag. Last year, she was sanctioned for making offensive remarks about the transgender Green Party MP Tessa Ganserer, even after receiving numerous warnings. Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckart condemned the heckling as "degrading and disrespectful." According to Kortmann, discussions about gender identity are a classic example of how populists try to capitalize on social uncertainty in the modern world. "This is super easy to exploit: Many people are already feeling insecure, and they say, 'now they're also taking away the two-gender system, which was something we could always depend on'," he said. Ultimately, critics see the AfD's relationship with Christianity as instrumental: The party draws on Christian traditions when it suits its agenda. However, the party does not cultivate close ties with the churches. "The AfD must always be careful not to align itself too closely with particular groups that, upon closer inspection, may generate significant skepticism among the general population," said Kortmann. He thinks Christian fundamentalists are the exception in the AfD: "Because these groups are not only against transgenderism, but perhaps also have a very outdated view of women or are against same-sex marriage. All of that is absolutely accepted in society." Piety as a political force: Europe and the US Up until now, the influence of Christianity on politics has generally been one of the major differences between Europe and the US, where evangelical billionaires sometimes use enormous sums of money to shape politics in the name of God. Many of them support the radical right surrounding Donald Trump. But according to Philipp Greifenstein, this phenomenon is now also spreading to Europe. Greifenstein is editor of the German online magazine Die Eule, which covers religious politics, the church, and theology. "Right-wing or far-right influencers are using religion as a way to downplay their own views and to curry favor with the evangelical movement in the US," Greifenstein told DW. "Financial reasons definitely play a role here, because this US movement has a lot of money at its disposal." Greifenstein argues that many Christian influencers are more impressed by US dollars than by the evangelical message. "I don't get the impression that Leonard Jäger wants to promote Christ. It's all about expanding reach." That is a goal that Jäger certainly shares with Alice Weidel and the AfD. This article was originally written in German. While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
German far-right leader Weidel says Orbán is 'beacon of freedom'
Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, on Friday praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a "beacon of freedom" during a conference held in Budapest. Addressing her audience in English, Weidel said: "The wind of change is blowing." Referring to a decision by Germany's domestic intelligence agency to classify her party, which took second place in the February elections, as extremist, Weidel said: "They spy on the opposition, to denounce the AfD as an enemy of the constitution, fabricating a pretext for outlawing our party." Weidel said to loud applause from the audience that moves to have the AfD banned by the German courts would not prevail. The intelligence agency has said it will refrain from classifying the AfD as "confirmed right-wing extremist" until a Cologne civil court has ruled on an urgent application from the party. The annual gathering in Budapest is linked to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the United States. Orbán uses the event to promote networking between international right-wing organizations. A common thread is a favourable attitude towards Russia under President Vladimir Putin. This year the conference drew attendances from Herbert Kickl, head of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. US President Donald Trump sent greetings by video.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's far-right AfD lashes out at 'second choice' chancellor
The co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has described the country's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz as a "second choice" leader. "Weakness and instability are the signals sent out by your historic false start, Mr Merz," Weidel told lawmakers on Wednesday. "You are a second choice chancellor. And you will never get rid of this stigma." Weidel, whose anti-immigration party makes up the biggest opposition faction in parliament following February's elections, was referring to Merz's election as chancellor last week, when he suffered a historic defeat in a first round of voting in parliament. He was eventually successful in a hastily organized second round of voting later that day, but the unprecedented humiliation has raised questions about unity within his government coalition, comprising his conservative bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD). Weidel, who was the first to address lawmakers following Merz's first government statement on Wednesday, repeated the party's well-known demands, including a return to nuclear energy and a resumption of gas imports from Russia. She also found harsh words for the country's migration policy, saying rejecting people at the border could only be the first step. "The murders, stabbings and rapes continue, day after day, week after week," Weidel said. "Addressing these facts" was allegedly an attack on the German constitution in the eyes of domestic intelligence, she said, adding "I call it naming the facts."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's far-right AfD demands sympathy for Russian position
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for sympathy for Moscow's position as European leaders try to increase pressure on the Kremlin to agree to an end to the war in Ukraine. No sensible peace negotiations can take place "if Russia's security interests are not finally taken into account," AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said ahead of a parliamentary group meeting in Berlin. Weidel claimed that Russian security interests were what had been at stake for years in the region and they were all that was at stake for Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump now. She went on to say that the AfD had been stressing since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine "that Russia's security interests should finally be taken into account," echoing one of Russia's arguments used to justify the war. The anti-immigrant AfD emerged as the biggest opposition party from Germany's February elections. The party has repeatedly called for the resumption of Russian gas imports, which were halted in the wake of the war.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany hits back at Rubio's defense of far-right AfD party
Germany rebuked Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he slammed the country's intelligence agency for classifying the far-right political party Alternative for Germany a 'proven-right wing extremist organization.' 'We have learnt from our history that right-wing extremism needs to be stopped,' Germany's foreign office wrote on X, in direct reply to Rubio. AfD, whose staunch supporters include Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk, was already under surveillance for suspected extremism by Germany's intelligence services, which on Friday classified the party as a 'proven right-wing extremist organization.' Rubio, who on Friday became the acting national security adviser for President Donald Trump, pushed back on the designation, calling the move 'tyranny in disguise,' in a post on X Friday. 'Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition.' 'That's not democracy,' Rubio said. To that, Germany's foreign office replied, 'This is democracy.' The rise of AfD, which made huge gains in Germany's general elections in February and finished second, has been part of a surge of the far right in Europe, whose proponents have forged close ties with Trump's White House. AfD's co-leader, Alice Weidel, called her party's electoral gains a 'glorious success,' alarming large swaths of a country deeply aware of its Nazi past. Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, the country's intelligence agency, said the party 'aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society.' AfD also does not consider German nationals with a history of migration from Muslim countries as equal to German people, the agency said in its Friday statement. Weidel's response to the designation aligned with Rubio's criticism, accusing the agency of advancing the ruling government's political interests. 'Since the AfD is the strongest party in polls now, they want to suppress the opposition & freedom of speech,' she said in a post on X. The German foreign office said the classification was a result of a "thorough & independent investigation to protect our Constitution & the rule of law." Under Weidel, AfD has moved from the fringes to a swift-rising movement winning its first regional elections and garnering support from the Trump administration. The party promotes a populist economy policy of large tax cuts and steep public spending, fosters strong anti-immigrant sentiments, and champions traditional family values, including opposing gay marriange though Weidel herself raises two sons with her Sri Lankan-born female partner, Sarah Bossard. Weidel has been able to harness a nationalist, anti-E.U sentiment along with hostilities against Muslims and foreigners, to build a stronghold for the party in the regions that once made up East Germany, where skepticism for NATO and Germany's support for Ukraine are among the strongest in the country. Vance, and Musk followed Rubio in his criticism, with the Vice President saying the AfD was the "most popular party in Germany and by far the most representative of East Germany." 'The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt — not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment,' Vance said in a post on X. Banning the AfD "would be an extreme attack on democracy,' Musk in a post on X said, calling the party "centrist" and repeating Vance's claims that it was Germany's "most popular party." AfD, and Weidel herself, have denied allegations of extremism, though the party's co-founder Alexander Gauland once dismissed Hitler's dictatorship as a 'speck of bird poop' and its top candidate, Maximilian Krah, said the SS, the Nazis' main paramilitary force, were 'not all criminals.' This article was originally published on
