AfD rises to second place in Germany's February elections
The early elections in Germany on February 23 are set to produce an unprecedented result. According to recent polls, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is projected to become the second-largest party, having focused its electoral campaign on immigration and crime.
The party has also gained support from external figures such as Elon Musk and U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Until now, most observers expected conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU/CSU) to be elected Chancellor. However, the 2025 early elections will be remembered as the moment when the post-fascist AfD transitioned from a marginal party to the second most important party in Germany, surpassing traditional parties like the Socialists, the Greens, the Liberals, and the post-communist “Die Linke.”
Earlier this year, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, who is also the most popular politician in Germany and the successor of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, tabled a resolution against illegal immigration, receiving AfD’s support. This was a pivotal moment in a country where the populist right had previously been ostracized. Other traditional parties accused the conservatives of opening the door to a return to fascism.
However, with the Greens at around 13% and Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats struggling to exceed 15-16%, left-wing parties are still far from securing a stable majority.
The rise of the post-communist party Die Linke makes it more likely that the CDU will be forced to form a coalition with two left-wing parties, a "left-wing front" similar to the coalition formed in France last year, in order to keep the far-right at bay. This is a scenario that the CDU’s campaign team desperately wants to avoid.
Germany has built its post-war identity—fundamentally supported by the United States—around preventing parties like AfD from gaining power.
But the open endorsement from Tesla magnate Elon Musk and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who met with AfD leader Alice Weidel last week in Munich, has only reinforced the impression that the political winds are now favoring the extremist party, a trend seen throughout Europe.
What is AfD?
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democrats appear to be in third place in the polls, has urged voters to turn their backs on AfD, praising Germany’s long-standing tradition of rejecting the far-right, which dates back to the Nazi era.
What started as a party of professors opposing eurozone bailout packages has, in just 12 years, become an increasingly radical force, feeding on anti-immigrant sentiment and incorporating neo-Nazis into its ranks.
Although other parties refuse to cooperate with AfD—similar to most EU countries—the party, which is monitored by security authorities for extremist suspicions, has succeeded in shifting the debate to its central issues.
AfD has modernized. It is now led by Alice Weidel, a fluent Chinese speaker who openly displays her homosexuality, even though she leads a party that opposes same-sex marriages.
Weidel is also notably outspoken against Islam, which she deems "incompatible with Germany and the West" and a "threat." She lives with her Sri Lankan partner and their two adopted children.
Weidel is also known for the incident that amused Germany when TV presenter Christian Ehring from the satirical show “extra 3” called her a “Nazischlampe” (“Nazi bitch”). Weidel did not find this humorous and sued the journalist. However, she lost the case. The Hamburg court ruled that a public figure must accept and get used to exaggerated insults and criticism. Thus, the leader of a party that has called for the shooting of immigrants can indeed be referred to as “Nazischlampe.” As it appears, some people do not know how to take responsibility.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
