Liberals Win, But So Does Far-Right

Although it's a matter of concern that for the first time in 60 years, a far-right party has officially become an opposition party in Germany by swooping 13% votes; the immediate demonstrations against these party and the decision taken by all other political parties not to compromise with it in any way also has to be noted. Angela Merkel will have to face the challenge of maintaining the European community while facing the xenophobic opposition party.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany at the Christian
Democrats’ headquarters in Berlin

After the defeat of Hitler, for the first time in the German Parliament, the 'Alternatives for Germany' (AFD), the Nazi party has garnered 13 % of votes and 88 seats. Merkel's Christian Democratic Party is leading a centrist vote in Germany. Not leftist, not rightist, not socialist, not nationalist; but a center-right is the form Merkel has given to the party. Since the majority of the people accepted this form, their party would get the majority. The situation changed after 2015.

After the demise of Syria and the emergence of ISIS, the expatriates from Syria and other Arab countries came to Europe, to Germany. People from poor countries in Africa and Asia moved to Europe and Germany with the impression that they could become rich after going to Europe. It was not possible for Germany to impede such enormous volume. Merkel proposed to accommodate those people. These people from outside were Muslim. Many people in Germany did not want these outsiders. There is an old shade behind this feeling. Germans are the people of the Aryan race. Hitler impressed upon the people that the Jewish people had not only come to Germany but also have tainted the Aryan country. Nazism not only opposes the Jewish people but opposes all the strangers. The announcement of 'Germany for Germans' after 2015 felt alluring even to non-Nazi people. From this point of view, in the current elections, by garnering 13% votes, the alternative Germany Party (AFD) became an official opposition party. Some voters of Merkel's middle party and Martin Schultz's Socialist Party turned to this alternative Germany party.

“We will go after them,” Alexander Gauland, one of the leaders of Alternative
for Germany, told party supporters. “We will claim back our country.”

There is one more story. After the recession of 2008, the financial position of Europe was affected. Except for Germany, the economic growth slowdown, investment slowdown, production decline and unemployment among other European countries increased. Merkel played a role that would help the affected countries to improve their status by financial discipline. However, the countries like Greece, Britain, etc. were not ready to be disciplined; they became uneased by Germany's policy. Those and the other countries started the language of exiting from the European community.

This reaction in Europe provoked regression in Germany- “The Europeans are anti-Germans, why should we take their responsibility; instead, we should leave the community and let them look after themselves”. Many people in Germany thought the same. They did not even vote for Merkel but voted for alternative German parties. Some of the votes went to the Free Democratic Party and some to the Environmental Greens Party. Though by gaining 33 % of the votes, Merkel's party has become the single largest party, more than 10% of the vote has gone because of this policy.

People who do not agree with Merkel have been growing for two years in Germany, yet the public believes that Merkel is a stable, efficient and strategic leader.  In the speech that she did after coming to power, she said she is ready to understand what the AFD's party has to say. "We'll also communicate with people who have different opinions from us", she said.

It seems that she will establish the government with ‘Free Democrats’ & ‘Greens’.