A Berlin political scientist, Hajo Funke, sees in the recent Bundestag majority for a Union’s motion with the help of the AfD on migration policy a “breakthrough in the dam”.
“This is the first time since 1949 that democratic parties have, with the awareness and intention of working together with an anti-democratic, right-wing extremist party led by Björn Höcke and Alice Weidel, achieved a majority” he told the Rheinische Post (Saturday edition).
Looking at the Union’s chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz (CDU), Funke added, “With this, Merz has shown that he will stop at nothing to gain power, even by breaking with words and taboos and indeed this breakthrough in the dam. And that in a week in which we are commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz and the takeover of power by Hitler.”
Regarding the social implications, the political scientist added, “We are witnessing a new uprising of the decent. Also within the CDU. At the same time, the necessary measures must be taken to curb attacks like the one in Aschaffenburg – but with the means at the disposal of the rule of law. We know from the experiences of other countries, but also from our own experience, that an approach to right-wing populists during elections rather helps the original, in this case the AfD.