Considering its status as an upstart newcomer, the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland, Alternative for Germany) did extremely well in Sunday’s elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. But the descriptor “extremely well” must be understood in the larger context of German politics. After being relentlessly demonized by the press and the leaders of all mainstream political parties, in the face of procedural obstacles and censorship on social media, the AfD still managed to a showing of 12%-24% in the polls. It’s a major change, but not enough to swing the German ship of state away from the iceberg it is rapidly bearing down on.
Rembrandt Clancy has compiled a summary of the results, including translated excerpts from German media.
An Overview of German Regional Elections
by Rembrandt Clancy
The legion of political parties is like an alphabet soup to most non-Germans, and I have not found much about the 13 March elections that convincingly deals with the real implications, if any. I say “if any” because the question is open as to whether the AfD’s gains are enough, especially since there appears to be so little time left.
In Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann — an old Maoist from the early 1970s — and his Greens survived handily with 30.3% of the vote and he will remain Minister-President; but he lost his SPD (Socialist) coalition partner to fourth place (12.7%), after the AfD (15.1%). The CDU took second place (27.0%). These results are taken from Wikipedia on the assumption they can be relied upon for having the latest numbers, which may still be provisional.
As for the uncertain implications of these elections, I offer one example because of its cultural Marxist significance for all the German states. It has to do with the green-red Bildungsplan 16 (Educational Plan 16) in Baden-Württemberg. It remains to be seen what will happen to this radical sex education package which embraces all levels of the educational system, from grade one, and spans all subject areas. Kretschmann had planned to sign it into law surreptitiously before these elections, but apparently did not follow through. Opposing the Bildungsplan, there have been seven demonstrations in Stuttgart spanning nearly two years, the last one being held on 28 February, with 4,500 participants, just slightly fewer than the peak number in the penultimate demonstration. These rallies go under the name of Demo für Alle, modelled after the much more numerically impressive La Manif pour tous. Will the political change lessen the chances that this plan will survive?
If one examines the Landtag results for Baden-Württemberg for 2011, one notes that the CDU, the party with the largest single number of votes (39.0%), did not form the government; instead, the two Leftist minority parties formed the green-red coalition (Greens and SPD). This outcome may seem obvious to a German, but not to a Canadian, where a constellation like this leads to a minority government.
In Sunday’s election (Baden-Württemberg), the CDU lost more than 11% of its support compared with 2011, which according to Kopp Online is their worst showing since the ’50s. The voter turnout on 13 March 2016 was 5.7% higher than in 2011 according to Kopp Online, and a higher turnout was also measured for the elections in the other two states.
To put the numbers in perspective: according to Kopp Online thirteen million persons were called to vote in these state elections, and they constitute 20% of eligible voters in Germany; therefore 13 February was a kind of mini-federal election. These numbers materialised against a background of a massive anti-AfD campaign conducted by the old parties, media and other organisations, according to Kopp.
And just yesterday morning (14 March) there was the following news:
Prior to the Landtag elections, all Pegida administrators were suddenly blocked from Facebook. The movement judged this as an attempt at censorship and accordingly published a press release. The site continues as before.
The alternative news portal, MMnews, reported on 26 February that the Dresden Facebook presence, which has a 200,000 strong following, could be the object of future censorship. It has been learned, based on a “trusted source”, that Facebook, due to pressure at the level of the federal government, is to block or completely expunge sites like Pegida and their offshoots, according to the portal in an exclusive article. (Epoch Times)
The AfD now sits in eight state parliaments. In Baden-Württemberg the AfD reached 15.1 percent of the vote, just ahead of the SPD (12.7%); in the Rhineland Palatinate 12.6% and in Saxony-Anhalt the AfD achieved a remarkable 24.2%, the second-largest party in the Landtag next to the CDU, which reached 29.8%. Kopp Online makes the following summary comments:
It became the projected anti-Merkel warning election and it will cause much unease for many in Berlin, now that it comes down to the highly-paid mandates of the CDU and SPD functionaries. The reality deniers in the Konrad Adenauer House [the party headquarters of the German Christian Democrat Union] will not succeed in finding anything positive in this evening, although they have been trying to do so naturally in the usual manner since 6:05pm.
The Volkspartei SPD is dead. Under [Sigmar] Gabriel [Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy] and [Heiko] Mass [Federal Minister of Justice] it mutated in a few years into a leftist splinter party. After just 12% in Saxony and Thuringia and no more than 20% in Bavaria, the SPD experienced an unparalleled debacle in Baden-Württenberg and Saxony-Anhalt, and attained in both states no more than 13%.
The election winner of the evening is without doubt the Alternative für Deutschland. Neither the BILD [newspaper] nor the defamations by the red-green functionaries made against the party, together with a never-before-seen media campaign against the party, could change anything. The countrywide double-digit results for the AfD also document the end of the opinion monopoly of the mainstream media.
The political and jornolist classes throughout the West are cut from the same socialist cloth, no matter what language they happen to speak. In many places they are going down, despite Zuckerburg’s direct Face Book interference in national affairs.
I’m sure he’ll start in on any party in the West seen as “populist”…perhaps he has his own plans to ‘rule’ for the betterment of the world.
So the Great Jewish Conspiracy is true!!
(Shouldn’t have to expain, but I am being ironic).
Well of course Merkel is not a Jew, but there is indeed a conspiracy even if it is not a Jewish one – with the video available off Merkel and Zuckerberg discussing how to shut down Facebook dissent.
We have the EU attitude of vote and re-vote until one gets the ‘correct’ result, it is obvious to those at the top that there is a correct way and a wrong way, and the each child must be forced to do things correctly, and to vote accordingly.
It would be laughable if it wasn’t so dangerous to the very survival of Europe; the strutters and poseurs trying to fiddle on the roof whilst Berlin burns beneath.
Germany has brought much grief to Europe in the past,because it allows its leaders to do insane things, must we watch this happen a third time (fourth if you are French)?
What is the political platform of AfD? Just about everything I’ve read online describes them as a “far-right” party, which I’ve been taking to mean “not hard-core socialist”, considering the MSM paints anything it disagrees with as far-right or hard-right. It would be good to know the truth.
We’ve posted about them extensively in the past. I should have dug out some links about them to go with this post.
Their primary characteristic is that they’re EU-skeptical nationalists. The “far right” label comes from being nationalists — any patriotic party in Western Europe is automatically styled “far right”, or even “neo-Nazi”.
They dance around the immigration issue without tackling it head-on, which is why the PEGIDA people do not back them fully, and are considering forming their own party.
In the European Parliament the AfD is a member of the same group as Cameron’s British Conservatives [European Conservatives and Reformists].
The group leader , Syed Kamall (British Conservative), has come out in favour of leaving the EU (GO>).The AfD leader has called for his resignation. (Source : Breitbart-London).
Kathleen said: “What is the political platform of AfD?….”
The AfD, barely 3 years old, has come out 2nd and 3rd place in the German super-Sunday. They are now presented in the Bundestag. In Saxony they clocked 24% – about 3 years after their founding…
Better still, or at least as good: PI (Politically Incorrect) Magazine, and several major German media outlets reported on the future party program of the AfD that Mrs. Beatrix von Storch (party chair women, party leader is Mrs. Frauke Petry) stated the following:
1. Islam itself will be debated, Quran etc., and PUBLICISED! And publicly debated by the AfD
2. Halal slaughter will be outlawed (generally the slaughter of animals without anaesthetic)
3. Sharia will be outlawed
4. Circumcision and FM will be outlawed
5. Minarets and Azan calling will be outlawed
6. Islam *could* be declared a non-religious cult (meaning that’s what they will do)
7. Constitutional right to asylum will be removed
She said that minarets, azan etc. are symbols of Muslim superiority thinking.
It is expected that that will become party line on 30th April. That is to say that the chance for this to be the future political platform for the AfD after 30th of April is excellent.
Further, about a month ago Mrs. Petry, party leader, stated that: “…the police should open fire on illegal immigrants trying to force their way into Germany.”
The media went haywire, Nazi etc. Demanding her resignation, an apology, bla bla.
She duly held a press conference and asked the press how she can be a Nazi if she wants the German constitution and German law to be upheld. Errr… She pointed out that the German constitution specifically permits the use of whatever force is required to repel any form of attack by unidentified aliens wanting to enter German with whatever intent. The Bundes Grenzschutz (Federal Border Police) and the police are definitely permitted to use firearms, to repel any alien wanting to enter German territory without invite or ‘good reason’, after being refused and warned by the police.
They changed subject and ‘public outcry’ ceased…
Now they are quoting her occasionally, but point out that it is indeed legal, but also inhumane and shows her ‘true Nazi colors’. Apparently it is humane for the aliens, Muslims that is, to rape, assault, steal, etc, Well, it’s probably an expression of the democratic enrichment and diversity those people bring to Europe…
Hope I answered your question.
PS: for PI (Politically Incorrect) Magazine see: http://www.pi-news.net/ it’s in German but they also have an English section under ‘PI English’, button is to the top left, if you are interested that is.
Actually the results are dismal. Faced with a society destroying invasion, the dismal results for the AfD show that most Germans are still complicit in their own suicide.
What is so terrible is that timely actions could result in a moderate solution that avoids violence, while the failure to act can only result in a societal debacle. The end result will either be war, or surrender, and the wealth of Europe and its hope for the future will be squandered. If things don’t change, Europe – in a figurative sense – will become a mausoleum for its native peoples (that is to say if the invaders bother to bury their victims). A society that selects pleasure over duty will ultimately be dispossessed. Failing to support their women and children, the males of Europe have become figuratively emasculated.
Yes, that was exactly my point. The party did well by the standards of a parliamentary democracy, but not enough to form or participate in any government once the “cordon sanitaire” closes around them.
One would think (hope) that they would be getting an absolute majority by now, if the German people had any understanding at all of the doom that is descending upon them. But people are generally reluctant to change their voting preferences if they have strong party loyalty — it takes a catastrophe before they decide to shift their vote. And of course the catastrophe will be along shortly.
…AND THE YOUNG ARE STUPID FROM THE BRAIN-WASHING THEY HAVE RECEIVED AT SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY, IN THE MEDIA AND FROM THEIR SOCIALIST, PROBABLY DIVORCED PARENTS.
As I am German and quite close observer of elections, there are some Points i would like to remark:
– Basically, nearly all the media provides you here with exactly the same Information (all refugees are women and their cute Little childs etc )
– The last two weeks, the Trade Unions and Chambers of Commerce jointly went into the firms and Enterprises promoting the importance of the election
– Electoral Fraud is quite common: please search the Internet for
– “Stendal electoral fraud”: Absentee Ballots were sent unbeknownst for the voter to a Party
– “Halle electoral fraud”: The result of some precints had 0 votes instead of 42 for an Non-Block-Party, the Block-Parties had 100 votes extra each (in the former GDR all parties were formally Independent, in reality had to obey the communist Party. One might think that we have now here a GDR 2.0, but this I must refute, that isn’t the case 😉 )
– “Bremen electoral fraud”: students and other minors counted all votes for the same Non-Block-Party as “Invalid” When the Courts ordered a repitition of the election, die Party obtained instead of 30 votes more then 200 votes.
I don’t say that there has been any electoral fraud. At least I haven’t heard of any yet.
Strange to relate, but the reports I’ve been reading in the MSM are to the effect that it’s the young, particularly in the old East, who are turning to the so-called ‘far right’ and voting AfD. I know what you mean, though. It’s so hard to find people in their 20s who don’t just shout you down or scoff if you try to say anything that doesn’t fit with the cultural Marxist agenda. Thank God for the Ossies!
There is a certain backslash against cultural Socialism in the States of the former GDR. Furthermore, in the 1980s under Mr Honnecker was some kind of National Renaissance with emphasis on the GDR and the former Soviet Union being the heirs of the traditional alliance of Prussia and Russia. Last but not least the Germans in this part of my country know how to fight back successfully against a totalitarian regime.
In the western parts, employees are quite more submissive as their carreers are depending on using PC talk.
Interestingly, the Green Party lost support by people at the age from 25 to 50 years even in Baden Wuerttemberg. That was despite an enormous effort of the Trade Unions and Chamber of Commerce(Briefing for election at work)….
That would be similar to Poland, then, where in last October the young overwhelmingly voted for the “right-wing” Law and Justice party who won the election, election, well as for the “far right” group of a singer, Pawel Kukiz, who came third. And in Britain, where proportionally many more young Poles live, Mr Kukiz actually won the vote, while another “far right” group, of Janusz Korwin-Mikke, came third with 20%. The liberal, pro-EU Civic Platform, the outgoing government, only got fourth place among Poles living in the UK.
Dear Baron,
I agree and beg to differ on practically the same point.
You said: ” The party did well by the standards of a parliamentary democracy, but not enough to form or participate…One would think (hope) that they would be getting an absolute majority by now, if the German people had any understanding at all of the doom that is descending upon them….”
Consider please that the party is just about 3 years old. I think they have done extremely well, particularly in view that there seems to be the possibility of electoral ‘irregularity’. It’s just a possibility of course. But there are certain matters, highlighted below by a poster with the handle of “Wahlbeobachter”.
Further about your statement of: “…the catastrophe will be along shortly.”
I assure that most Germans are fully aware of this, but everything is by now incredibly manipulated by various factions, with the same general interest or aim. If you look at the recent videos on your website referring to ‘one man/woman interviews, on the street’; you will find that people don’t dare speaking openly, and phrase their words carefully – a bit like in Britain. I will post or reply about the unfolding inferno shortly, the also recently presented notion of a ‘Tet’ or Vietnam style scenario is, at the very best, only applicable to a minor extent.
Yes, you’re quite right about the unwillingness of Germans to speak their true opinions openly. The same is true of the Swedes. The Sweden Democrats have been a clear alternative for at least nine years, but it is only recently that their popularity has really taken off.
One wishes that the process of waking up, of changing one’s political allegiance, could happen more quickly.
I feel the same way about the USA, of course. But we’ll see what happens with Trump.
That’s right, I am German and MUST be very careful because there are many squealers and informers among us, who would LOVE to tell this to the “Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution”. Then you are getting an indiction for Sedition (§130 StGB).
As I am indegenious german, I am here a citizen of second class, as preparation for “Dhimmi Status” in the coming Islamic Caliphate 😉 (Irony, more or less).
The published polls about the appoval of Ms. Merkel et al. and her “Willkommenskultur” are mainly faked.
And about the elections here: There are publications of renowned mathematicians which prove the electoral fraud with Benford’s Law. In Merseburg, a election observer caught the precint captain red-handed(They are appointed by the admistration, which are usually controlled by the main parties):
http://www.mz-web.de/merseburg/abstimmung-merseburger-vermutet-wahl-betrug-23751024
Mikey said: Failing to support their women and children, the males of Europe have become figuratively emasculated.
Yes, but the masculinization of women — and women’s consequent refusal to bear children — is many times more destructive and a cause of this problem than the emasculation of the men.
Angela Merkel — a childless-by-choice German middle-aged woman, all to common in Germany, is opening the borders to make up for the children she and her like are not having.
There are still other traditionalist mothers in Germany, who have 4 or 6 kids. Coupled with our wonderful AI and robot-filled future that’s just around the corner, and the masses of unemployed that will bring (reckoned to be almost 50% of current UK jobs in the next 10 years), surely a smaller population in the future would bring advantages, in the form of less welfare claimants?
If this political party is pro-Putin, then Germany is still the sameness!
Facebook should not be allowed to have this much power. This phenomenon of social media is new and needs new laws to curtail the power of these platforms. One man censoring the discourse of tens of millions is not acceptable.
On the bright side, there will likely be a backlash against Facebook eventually for taking the side it took.
And new platforms will come to be.
Multi billionaires like the young Mr. Zuckerberg will cease to control us as the market will not ultimately allow it.
I know several on Facebook wondering when this new platform will emerge.
A new platform will evolve, and will be corrupted in its turn; any platform that allows commercial advertising will eventually be ‘bought’ by political activists whose message is so banal that it can only be put across by constant mindless repetition to an unthinking audience a.k.a. brainwashing…..
Facebook is the neo-völkischer beobachter
Anything that centralizes too much internet content is a potential problem.
I’m starting to think that a peer-to-peer version of Facebook might be in order.
Here are charts for the election results . `LIN`is the old DDR communist party +left-socialists. `Sonst`= Other.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/files/2016/03/Screen-Shot-2016-03-13-at-21.12.15.png