AfD changed the tone of its campaign in Saxony-Anhalt — Politico Europe
In Germany, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic, decisive victory in the election in Saxony-Anhalt, combining its usual negative rhetoric with more optimistic slogans. Politico Europe reports.
Five years ago, AfD posters in this eastern German state featured one word: “Enough.” During the current campaign, the party used the slogan “Everything is possible” and also called for the return of the “good old days.” According to the publication, this combination of nostalgia and hope may have appealed to voters concerned about rapid change and an uncertain future.
The candidate’s image
AfD’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, projected a friendly image at meetings with voters and on television: he smiled, took selfies, and rode a blue vintage scooter from the era of East Germany.
German-British historian Katja Hoyer believes that Siegmund became something of a pop star for some voters. In her view, this helps explain why AfD doubled its vote share in the state and why the gap in support between men and women there was smaller than at the national level.
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A positive outlook
Berlin political consultant Johannes Hillje called this approach “good mood populism.” According to him, the party had previously relied primarily on negative rhetoric, blamed migrants, attacked elites, and appealed to fear and anger. At the same time, he believes that a positive outlook is also needed to mobilize voters.
As Politico Europe notes, AfD’s ideological core retains a gloomy vision of Germany’s future: the party portrays the country as a state on the brink of catastrophe because of what it calls the destructive impact of migration and deindustrialization. The new campaign style combines this rhetoric with a more cheerful and reassuring public image.
Italian political scientist Marco Tarchi said that political narratives have a greater influence on voter behavior than policy details. The article also states that after the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, AfD could achieve historically high results in the next elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
