Summary
Support for Germany’s far-right AfD is surging among young men, driven by concerns over immigration, conservative values, and distrust of mainstream politics.
A Pew study found 26% of German men view AfD positively, compared to 11% of women.
Social media, particularly TikTok, has helped spread its message. Some young supporters reject accusations of extremism, while others openly embrace far-right views.
Analysts warn that if mainstream parties ease their opposition to the AfD, it could become Germany’s dominant right-wing party.
I’m not aware of a country that’s swinging right where living standards are rising. They’re all either stalled out or falling in spite of narrative and expectation. Sure, Germany isn’t bad compared to some others, but plenty of Germans recognize that the standard of living they’re used to is starting to diminish. Unfortunately, instead of recognizing the real causes here, that angst is being channeled into “yes, but what if we tried out fascism again?”
The thing that’s wild to me as a USian is that we’ve had the fruits of reactionary conservatism (starting on the path with Reaganism) on full display since the oughts, and other countries seem to see our shambling fucking mess and go “well, yes, but the rich people told us it’ll be different for us.” No, it fucking won’t.