Alternative für Deutschland: What risks for Germany?
The AfD - Alternative for Germany – founded in opposition to Angela Merkel’s policy line of supporting southern European countries, has quickly become part of the political family of "right-wing populism" in Europe, with whom it cultivates close ties.
Taking advantage of a sense of frustration towards Europe and globalization as well as a rejection of Germany’s federal authorities and Angela Merkel’s policy of opening the borders in 2015/2016 in certain parts of German society, the AfD has had unexpected success in the 2014 European elections and in German regional elections (between 2014 and 2017). Its entry into the Bundestag and two other regional chambers in 2017 seems highly likely.
At the same time, the AfD has continued to radicalize its political discourse and program. This has allowed it to voice the concerns and serve as parliamentary representative of the Neue Rechte and even the German extreme right. The AfD has no prospect of attaining to power, yet it leaves its mark on the German political debate on controversial issues such as national security, Europe, immigration and the economy. It has thus become part of the German political landscape.
About the author:
Hans Stark graduated from the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (SciencesPo) in 1987, majoring in International Relations and achieving a Diplôme d’études approfondies (DEA) in Soviet and Eastern European Studies in 1990. He holds a PhD in political sciences from the Panthéon-Sorbonne University (2001) that focused on German European politics. In 2011 he obtained his habilitation at the University of Lille 3 in German Studies.
This paper is published in French only: Hans Stark, "Alternative für Deutschland : quels risques pour l'Allemagne ?", Notes du Cerfa, n°137, Ifri, mars 2017.
Hans STARK
Advisor, Study Committee on French-German Relations (Cerfa), Ifri
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
Franco-German Relations Through the Lens of Donald Trump’s Second Term: Between Strategic Realignments, European Sovereignty, and the Enduring Transatlantic Bond
Donald Trump’s return to the presidency of the United States in 2025 acts as a powerful catalyst for the Franco-German relationship. Faced with growing uncertainty over the reliability of US security guarantees, Germany, more directly affected by the questioning of the transatlantic relationship, is gradually moving closer to the French position in favor of strengthening European strategic sovereignty.
MAGA and AfD: Toward a Transatlantic Alliance of Nationalist Right-Wing Parties
The rapprochement between Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and Germany’s AfD has accelerated significantly since Trump’s return to the White House.
VW, Mercedes, and BMW in the Face of Donald Trump—A Tightrope Walk Between Investing in the U.S., Maintaining Operations in Europe, and Catching Up in Electric Mobility
The German automotive industry faces a threefold challenge: competition from China; a difficult transition to electric vehicles; and US tariffs.
A Partnership Built on Security: Post-Brexit Rapprochement between Germany and the United Kingdom
Since the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, UK-German relations have undergone a remarkable transformation: from Berlin’s deliberate distancing from London during the Brexit negotiations, when Germany consistently prioritised EU-27 unity over bilateral arrangements, to a gradual rapprochement, culminating, for the time being, in the 2025 Kensington Treaty of Friendship.