Because AfD is the only party that demands a sharp reduction in refugees, they've benefited from an enormous protest vote. One factor in their success is that they don't come across as extremists. Although their policies are reactionary, bigoted, and anti-Muslim, they present them with a populist rhetoric that seems moderate, emphasizing the defense of Western cultural values. Rather than eliminate immigration, they want to limit it. They are pro Christian and support the nuclear family structure and traditional gender divisions but aren't as rabid about it as, for instance, conservative Christians in the USA. Their proposals for social services -- healthcare, welfare, unemployment insurance, education -- are more liberal than the Democrats' in the USA. They call for more direct democracy such as voter initiatives and referendums. The AfD are not fascists. They are more like a stodgy, crabby old uncle.
That doesn't mean they're not dangerous, though. They now have a national platform for propagating their right-wing program. They have the power to block progressive legislation and influence governmental appointments. But they're not a resurgence of Nazism. That specter is a media myth.
Of the two million refugees, those who cause problems are only a small minority. Most of the newcomers have a positive attitude. They are getting a fresh start in life, recovering from trauma, getting an education, learning new skills. They've been introduced to other cultural possibilities.
Women in particular are responding favorably to this new environment. Seeing how women here live, some of the refugees are beginning to free themselves from patriarchal bondage. With help from German feminists they are developing the energy and determination to challenge male rule and change the conditions of their lives. That's the real Alternative for Deutschland ... and for the Mideast.
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