Fight against populism: experts suggest strategies!

Fight against populism: experts suggest strategies!

On March 9, 2025, the debate about the growing influence of populist and right-wing extremist parties in Germany will become increasingly urgent. In an interview with uni-muenster.de discusses Prof. Dr. Oliver drives strategies to counteract these tendencies. Similar to many other European countries, populist parties believe that elites ignore the needs of the population. This narrative, which both attracts voters and increases uncertainty, could have a significant impact on the upcoming federal election campaign.

In order to counteract the populist currents, various approaches are being discussed. This includes the idea of ​​a defensive democracy that includes legal measures against enemies of democracy, such as party bans. Another important approach is the so-called firewall, a self-committing commitment to resolutely defend ourselves against right-wing extremism. Despite these strategies, their effectiveness remains controversial, especially since an agreement on a fair election campaign was not signed by the AfD and the BSW in December.

The effects of the political change

The political landscape has been in flux in recent months. On January 30, 2025, a motion was approved in the German Bundestag, which was passed with the support of the AfD. This vote is considered a turning point because it breaks the decades-long taboo of excluding the radical right from crucial political action. This development led to protests in front of the CDU headquarters in Berlin, where hundreds protested against this dependency the-berliner.com reported.

Following the application, CDU leader Friedrich Merz presented a strict five-point migration plan that includes measures such as rejecting asylum applications and increasing deportations. This is seen by many observers as an attempt to adapt its own policies to those of the AfD, which has already accused the CDU of copying its agenda. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) criticized this cooperation and made it clear that democratic parties should not cooperate with the radical right.

Causes of right-wing populism

The reasons for the rise of populist parties are diverse. boeckler.de shows that anti-democratic and racist resentments are increasing in German society. In particular, crises such as the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine have given right-wing populist groups the opportunity to stir up fears and exploit them for their own purposes. An analysis by the Hans Böckler Foundation finds that anti-democratic attitudes are also widespread in the middle of society.

Social and economic factors also play a crucial role. People from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and the middle class in particular show an increased susceptibility to populist ideologies. The increased inequality in Germany and concerns about social decline are reinforcing these tendencies. Data shows that 14% of respondents have high levels of anti-democratic attitudes. In addition, employees with poor working conditions are more likely to have such views, while stable collective bargaining structures and company co-determination can promote this.

Political decision-makers are called upon to combat the causes of the rise of populism. Important topics include immigration policy, the accommodation and integration of immigrants and the fight against inequality between West and East Germany. Civil society protests against right-wing extremism are widespread and their impact on coalition negotiations remains uncertain.

Overall, the current situation makes it clear that the rise of the AfD and similar movements is not just a political problem, but has deeper social roots that need to be addressed.