More than 40 prominent figures from the culture have launched a election campaign against the AfD. The supporters include actors such as Tina Pfurr, Merlin and Fridolin Sandmeyer, as well as the singer of the band Tocotronic, Dirk von Lowtzow, as reported by the “Spiegel”. The motto of the election appeal reads: “It’s not okay to vote for the AfD.”
The AfD is a “real threat to our democratic togetherness”, the appeal states. The initiators make no distinction between the extreme right party and its voters, as other AfD critics do. “People who vote for the AfD are consciously choosing a party that promotes hate and exclusion”, the appeal says. “They support a policy that attacks people because of their origin, religion, or sexual orientation.” The AfD creates dangers, uses the resulting fears to drive people to hatred and thus creates rifts in society that grow, the appeal continues.
Attempts by politicians to mend the rifts by adopting the AfD’s rhetoric are rejected by the initiators. “We believe that it is precisely the adoption of their rhetoric and themes that makes them socially acceptable”, the appeal says further.
Fridolin Sandmeyer, known for his appearances in the TV series “Die Discounter” alongside his brother Merlin, told the news magazine that he felt overwhelmed by the joint voting behavior of the Union and AfD in the Bundestag. “When it comes to dealing with the AfD, there’s a dam break after another. I don’t want to let fascists ruin my life”, Sandmeyer said. Tina Pfurr called the vote a privilege that needed to be handled with care.