Study: Antisemitism Is Baked Into AfD Ideology

A new study by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) suggests that antisemitism is not just a small issue within the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, but is instead a fundamental part of its ideology and appeal. The report, authored by political scientist Lars Rensmann, examines the language, campaigns, media environment, and electorate of the AfD.

The study finds that even when the party avoids explicit antisemitic slurs, its ideology is full of antisemitic ideas, coded language, and conspiracy theories. This is because the AfD's worldview is based on the idea of a "us vs. them" struggle between a pure "true" German people and a hostile, corrupt elite allegedly working with outside forces.

This "friend-or-foe" mindset is seen as a way to portray Jews as a threat inside and outside the nation. The report traces these ideas back to the AfD's platforms since 2017 and statements from senior party members. For example, Thuringia's AfD chairman Björn Höcke has spoken about preventing what he calls a "Volkstod", or death of the people, through mass "remigration."

This term actually came from the far-right "Identitarian Movement" and became a big part of the AfD's 2025 election campaign. The report also notes that the AfD is closely linked to Höcke's former "Der Flügel" faction and quotes former honorary AfD chairman Alexander Gauland, who called Höcke the "center of the party" in 2019. A key part of the report looks at what the report calls the AfD's "modernized" antisemitism.

This means hostility that doesn't directly mention Jews, but uses antisemitic imagery through other targets. One example is George Soros, a billionaire investor who AfD figures often call a "puppet master" behind migration and cultural changes in Europe. The report also ties the AfD's use of the term "Lügenpresse" (lying press) to old antisemitic ideas about Jews controlling the media.

This language comes from Nazi propaganda. The report says the AfD's way of remembering the Holocaust is another big problem. It points to comments by Gauland and Höcke that make fun of the Nazi era and call for a "180-degree turn" in Germany's view of its history. This new way of remembering focuses on German suffering more than Jewish victims, which the report calls "secondary antisemitism."

It is based on rejecting historical responsibility. The report also talks about attacks on individual Jewish people by AfD accounts and members, including anti-racism activist Anetta Kahane and journalist Michel Friedman. It mentions an antisemitic picture of Kahane shared by an AfD office that used old Nazi propaganda images. Despite sometimes saying they are with Israel, the AJC report says the AfD's support for Israel is usually just for its anti-migration and anti-Islam messages, not real support for the Jewish state.

After the Hamas attack on October 7th, senior AfD figures only gave weak or late reactions. Surveys mentioned in the report show antisemitic thoughts are more common among AfD voters than in the general public. In a 2024 study about authoritarianism in Leipzig, more than half of AfD voters agreed with statements that downplay Germany's historical guilt, and they agreed the most with several types of antisemitism when compared to other groups.

The report concludes that antisemitism in the AfD is not just something a few people do. Instead, it is "closely linked" to the party's far-right and conspiratorial ideas, which show up in the party's main ideas, the leaders' public statements, and the party's online activities. The full AJC report is available here.