"AfD is no longer just a phenomenon occurring in the east of the country, as shown not only by the last elections to the Bundestag" – writes on Tuesday, September 30, the diary "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" ("FAZ"). The paper points out that the organization is besides successful in the western states of Germany, especially in groups of voters that many would not expect: immigrants.
The diary recalls that in mid-September, the German alternate ranked second in the elections to the integration councils in the cities of the Ruhr Basin: among others, in Bochum, Bottrop, Essen, Gelsenkirchen or Duisburg. In Hagen, she even placed first.
"FAZ" describes an exclusive survey of organization preferences of people of migrant origin, drawn up by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. "One of the conclusions of the survey is that AfD besides gains among minorities," says paper author Dominik Hirndorf. In the survey, conducted before the elections to the Bundestag, more than 3 1000 people took part at random. A 1000 of them had migration experience, a 1000 had no migration experience, and another 1000 were foreigners surviving in Germany without the right to vote.
AfD most popular among surveyed Poles
The survey distinguishes between people of Turkish, Polish, Russian and alleged late displaced persons, i.e. people of German origin who previously lived in east European countries, mainly erstwhile USSR. It turns out that most frequently the support for AfD declared in the survey a individual with Polish roots. The organization was identified by 33% of Polish residents. AfD took the first place among the Polish immigrants asked. A akin score (31 percent) AfD gained among late displaced persons, besides taking first place.
The situation is different in the another 2 groups. In the case of people of Turkish origin, the desire to vote for AfD declared only 8 percent (fifth place) and among Russians 14 percent (second place ex aequo with CDU) – we read.
Political preferences of immigrants
Dominik Hirndorf points out that in 5 years the CDU party, which for many years enjoyed the top support among people of Polish and Russian origin, has lost its popularity. In his opinion, further investigation shows that people of Turkish origin, unlike another surveyed groups, do not have a clear preference for limiting immigration opportunities. "The people of Polish origin hold a definitely right-wing position on this issue, which explains the advanced AfD results in this group," writes "FAZ".
In the same edition, "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" comments on the increasing popularity of the AfD organization among people with a migrant background. Author Jasper von Altenbockum writes that "One of the symptoms of misconception is that sympathy for AfD among foreigners and Germans with abroad roots is considered absurd. Shouldn't they be against the Vulcan party? It is not precisely immigrants and their German children who should be peculiarly delicate to politicians who value 'real' more Germans than immigrants?" – we read.
AfD – a fresh folk party?
According to the commentator, the increasing popularity of AfD among immigrants can confirm AfD in the belief that it is simply a fresh folk party. As Altenbockum writes, "the fact that immigration in Germany is an uncontrolled phenomenon that undermines integration is primarily felt by social groups that cannot defend themselves from it, and frequently by immigrants. Life is simply a fight for housing, education, work" - we read.
