Experts: Large-scale demonstrations have not weakened right-wing extremists

In the view of experts, the mass demonstrations at the beginning of the year have not weakened right-wing extremism in Germany. "The large-scale protests gave many people hope that the wind was finally changing," said Dominik Schumacher from the Federal Association of Mobile Counseling for Democracy Projects. "Unfortunately, the opposite has happened."

The far right is on the offensive and democracy is more threatened than it has been for a long time, said Schumacher. The AfD had achieved unprecedented success and had become the strongest or second-strongest force in eastern Germany. At the same time, democratic parties had adopted demands from right-wing extremists, for example on asylum law. "The extreme right was therefore able to exert influence even without government participation," said Schumacher.

Nordhausen alliance sees sobering results

The Leipzig-based democracy researcher Oliver Decker said that after the "Correctiv" revelation of the so-called Potsdam meeting of right-wing politicians, it was mainly people who saw themselves as center-left who demonstrated. "It's a relevant part of society, but of course it's not the majority," said Decker. The question is how to create "alliance capabilities" of more conservative people on the center-right, because it is about fending off extremism. "We can't do without them in mobilization," said Decker. There is some catching up to do.

Sylvia Spehr from the "Nordhausen together" alliance in Thuringia said that looking back on the super election year 2024 was sobering. In 2023, the alliance had helped to ensure that the AfD candidate did not become mayor of Nordhausen. The protests continued at the beginning of the year. "We tried a dwarf uprising," said Schehr. However, the local election result this year was a bitter setback. In Nordhausen, too, the AfD had become strong in the district council and city council.

Association for more permanent funding

The Federal Association for Mobile Counselling and extremism researcher Decker called on politicians to make funding for projects to strengthen democracy permanent - and not just for one year at a time. Otherwise, the structures of civil society would become unstable. Schehr said that the Bundestag elections were the next challenge: "We will not become quieter and, in the end, democracy will be stronger than its enemies."

The Federal Association of Mobile Counselling is the umbrella organization of around 50 mobile teams across Germany that provide advice on dealing with right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism, among other things.