In a warning about the potential normalization of far-right politics, former Thuringian Minister-President Bodo Ramelow expressed his concerns about the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Speaking to Phoenix on the sidelines of the Left Party’s federal convention in Berlin, he emphasized the need for democratic unity in the face of rising extremism.
Ramelow referenced the September 2024 Thuringian state parliament election, where the state constitutional court found the AfD’s former leader had overstepped his authority. “That was the darkest day in post-war German parliamentary history” he said, adding, “Those who lived through the day know what it means when you give the AfD formal power, when you give them the instruments of democracy in their hands, because they don’t adhere to the rules.”
The former minister-präsident stressed the importance of the Left Party’s presence in the next German Bundestag. He saw the influx of young people joining the party as evidence that many people are aware of the threats to democracy and are taking action.