Germany's AfD is labeled far-right, populist or extremist
Right-wing, far-right, fascist: Many terms are being thrown around in the debate about the AfD. What do they mean, and how appropriate are they when discussing the AfD? DW has this glossary.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is frequently labeled as far-right extremist. This classification does not have a uniform definition; it refers to a party that stands far right of the political center. Right-wing extremist parties often promote nationalism, racism, authoritarianism, and reject liberal society. Political scientist Armin Pfahl-Traughber of Germany's Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences argues that calling the AfD far-right extremist is more accurate when discussing the party's rejection of democratic values, such as democracy, separation of powers, human rights, and pluralism, combined with an emphasis on ethnic identity.
Over time, the AfD has shifted from a right-wing democratic party with an extremist minority to a right-wing extremist party with a democratic minority. The term "populism" comes from the Latin word for "people" and has no clear definition. Right-wing populists view the people as a single entity, oppose pluralism, and claim to represent the common people's interests.
The AfD is often described as right-wing populist due to its political style, although Pfahl-Traughber believes the term is overly used. "Völkisch" is an adjective derived from "Volk," meaning people, and has historically been associated with antisemitism. The AfD is accused of holding völkisch views due to leaders like Björn Höcke referring to historical right-wing conservative ideologues.
The term "fascism" originates from the Italian movement surrounding Benito Mussolini, characterized by ultranationalism, endorsement of a leader, rejection of democracy, glorification of violence, and war. German National Socialism under Hitler drew from fascism and was classified as an extreme form of fascism. However, scholars debate whether modern far-right extremist movements can be equated with Hitler or Mussolini's movements.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified the AfD as a suspected case of right-wing extremism, as there are grounds to suspect undermining of the democratic order that require further investigation.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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