The success of far-right in East Germany under the leadership of Weigand

Translated by Valeria D’Alessandro

In the city of Großschirma, Rolf Weigand, a prominent figure of the far-right and member of the Alternative füe Deutschland (AfD), has emerged as an influential and well-known individual. Thanks to the local initiatives he has implemented, he has become a familiar and respected presence, to the point where he was chosen as mayor. Although his party, AfD, is known for its extreme positions and is seen as a threat to German democracy, Weigand won nearly 60% of the vote in the local elections in March, a result that was ultimately annulled for technical reasons. The rise of Weigand and the AfD in this region is part of a broader phenomenon affecting the entire eastern part of Germany. Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a political divide persists between east and west. In the east part, AfD is gaining support, particularly in small communities where trust in traditional parties, institutions, and in media is in decline. This mistrust is turning into growing support for a party that promises to address local needs, often overlooked by mainstream political parties. During the local elections and the European Parliament elections, the AfD garnered around half of the votes in Großschirma, demonstrating how deeply entrenched the party is in that area. This success was further confirmed by the elections on September 1st, when the party came first in Thuringia with 33.1% of the vote and secured second place after the Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (CDU) with 30.5% in Saxony. This success is the result of a well-defined strategy: consolidating power at the local level by winning in towns and state parliaments in the east, with the ultimate goal of expanding its influence nationally and making the party more acceptable despite its extreme positions.

The rising support for the AfD in the east of the country reflects growing disenchantment with democracy and its institutions. In the state of Saxony, only 41% of the population is satisfied with how democracy functions, while trust in political parties and the media has hit a low point. The AfD has skillfully leveraged this mistrust to its advantage, presenting itself as an alternative to the traditional elites and promising greater attention to local communities. This is a well-established strategy, often used by populist and extremist parties. The AfD’s success in small eastern towns is cause for concern among traditional parties, which have tried to isolate the party by refusing any form of collaboration, both locally and nationally, to prevent the AfD from becoming a dominant political force nationwide. However, the AfD is working to undermine this strategy by deeply rooting itself at the local level, making collaboration with other parties increasingly difficult to avoid. In Großschirma, even leaders of other parties have had to acknowledge that the AfD strategy is yielding results. The party’s entrenchment is seen as a consequence of the failure of traditional parties to support rural communities and address the void left by factories and the government after the historic reunification. With the decline of industries and the absence of state presence, the AfD found the space to grow and gain support.

Collaboration between the AfD and traditional parties at the local level is already a reality in several parts of eastern Germany. Between 2019 and 2023, multiple acts of cooperation occurred between the AfD and other traditional parties in local governments, particularly with the Cristian Democrats (CDU). This cooperation took various forms, such as support for motions proposed by the AfD against gender-neutral languages or votes to unseat left wing mayors.

Despite the raising acceptance of AfD at the local level, the political climate in the region has become increasingly tense. Local politician who opposes the AfD, such as Dirk Neubauer, have become targets of threats and attacks by right-wing extremists, sometimes forcing them to step down. Neubauer, who was openly critical of the AfD, resigned, citing a growingly hostile environment and threats to his personal security.

In this context, Rolf Weigand declares his intention to promote and support a sense of unity in the community. However, his social media posts often tell a different story, marked by provocative tones. The situation in Großschirma is emblematic of a broader trend in eastern Germany, where the AfD’s political influence is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

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