Researchers: AfD not an extreme party for many young voters

In the view of one expert, the AfD's good performance among young voters is also an expression of the party's normalization. "The AfD is not perceived as directly right-wing extremist," said generation researcher Rüdiger Maas to the German Press Agency. According to Maas, who recently published a study on the subject, many young people see themselves as politically centrist but then vote for AfD.

The traditional division of the party landscape into left and right is becoming less important for young voters, he continued. "As a result, these extreme parties are not slipping to the margins." There is also a high level of tolerance among young people towards AfD voters in their circle of friends. "Many young people have told us: "The far-right won't hurt us, they're not evil". Older people in particular seem to see this danger. This is completely underestimated."

AfD by far the strongest force among young people

In the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, the AfD was by far the strongest force among young voters. According to Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, 36% of people aged between 18 and 29 voted for the AfD in Thuringia. This was 11% more than in the 2019 state election, with the CDU and the Left Party in second place with 13% each. In Saxony, 30 percent of the age group voted for the AfD, 9 percent more than five years ago. Here, the CDU came in second place with 15 percent.

He expects a similar picture for the upcoming state elections in Brandenburg, said Maas. The success of the AfD in the age group and the normalization of the party can be explained above all by the use of social networks. "AfD topics work much better on social media than SPD or CDU topics," said Maas. In addition, the party has specifically built up influencers who have achieved a wide reach.

Coalition issue plays no role

Young people, fueled by social media, tend to perceive the AfD as a party that is strongly disadvantaged by others. "There is little corrective." For many, however, it does not matter that the party currently has no real coalition options in the federal states. "You don't even notice that on social media."

Other parties would only have a chance if they invested a lot of money quickly and also relied on high-reach personalities online, said Maas.

With regard to Brandenburg, however, he also said: "You should never underestimate how quickly topics can go viral." The best example is Armin Laschet's laughter after the flood disaster in the Ahr valley, which is considered to be one of the reasons for his subsequent defeat as CDU chancellor candidate in the 2021 federal election.