The AfD emerged as the leading party in the September 6 election in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, winning 43.8 percent of the vote. With 39 seats in the state parliament, the party would reach the 42 seats needed to form a government if it secured the support of three more lawmakers. This would put the AfD in charge of a German state for the first time.
The result marks a first for the AfD in terms of how close the party has come to governing a state.
Marking such a critical point, the election has attracted widespread attention around the world and has remained the subject of intense debate since September 6. Many have described the result as a “victory for the far right,” “fascism,” “racism” or Nazism,” warning that Germany is approaching a “dangerous threshold”.
UWI author, historian and political scientist Mehmet Perinçek has a different view. We share with our readers his assessment on the above-mentioned description of AfD and on the meaning of the election result.
Fascism, racism and imperialism
Fascism and its ideology, racism, essentially correspond to the most aggressive and monopolistic sections of the bourgeoisie, the ruling classes and imperialism. In today’s world, where does the AfD stand? And where do Merz, the Social Democrats and the Greens stand? Which side is closer to fascism? We can understand this by looking at the international alignments.
Take the issue of Ukraine. The AfD is firmly opposed to Western aggression and the encirclement of Russia by the Atlantic. It does not merely oppose them rhetorically; it is actively seeking to develop relations with Russia and sends delegations there. It opposes Ukraine becoming a black hole that consumes Europe’s resources, and the money extracted from European peoples. In short, it advocates peace.
Support to the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine
On the other side, Merz, the Social Democrats and the Greens support Western aggression. So, not only the Christian Democrats, but also parties and political forces that present themselves as “left-wing” also support Europe’s aggressive policies. They support the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine and work to promote it internationally, allocating enormous resources to this. They use the entire media apparatus to cover up the neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine, its corruption, its racist ideology and its repressive policies.
So to my question “Who stands where”, the issue of Ukraine offers an answer. Which side is taking the aggressive position? Which side is advocating peace?
There is a very important example: Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, made a statement saying: “Together with the US and the AfD in Germany, we will organize a Russia-US-Germany business forum.” The AfD is proposing trade with Russia and, by extension, Eurasia. It is not proposing war, destruction, attacks, drones, harm to civilians or the collapse of Russian industry through military attacks. It is proposing trade based on equal relations and mutual benefit.
From this perspective, when fascism and its ideology, racism, are defined as the most aggressive and monopolistic sections of the bourgeoisie, the ruling classes and imperialism, who is pursuing the aggressive and monopolistic policy? We can clearly see that Merz, the so-called Social Democrats, the so-called left-wing parties and the Greens stand for aggressive policies and outright German monopolism, while the AfD pursues a policy based on greater reciprocity and more equal relations.
“Russians not allowed”
When it comes to racism, one of main pillars of it in Europe today is hostility toward Russia. Chekhov’s plays are being removed from stages; Tchaikovsky and Pushkin are being banned. The word “Russian” is being removed from the names of paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and replaced with “Ukrainian.” At universities, you reach a point where you cannot defend a thesis or even enter certain academic circles without expressing hostility toward Russia. Russians are placed under pressure and Russian musicians are prevented from performing concerts. You may remember that at one point there were even signs outside cafés saying, “Russians not allowed.” Who is responsible for this? Who is promoting this hostility toward Russians and this racism? Is it the AfD, or is it Merz, the Social Democrats and the Greens?
AfD on Palestine and Iran
If we look at Palestine and Iran through the same lens, once again it is Merz, the Social Democrats and the Greens who are pro-Israel and who offer Israel unlimited support. By contrast, the AfD’s statements on Iran and Palestine follow a line that doesn’t exclude Eurasia and the Islamic world.
In front of the Rathaus, Berlin’s city hall, there is a German flag and a European Union flag, alongside the flags of Israel and Ukraine. The Social Democratic did this. So, who is closer to fascism and neo-Nazism: those who raise the Israeli and Ukrainian flags, or the AfD which opposes the policies of Israel and Ukraine? Once again, these questions serve as a litmus test.
Chrupalla’s statement
And as for the issue of China, the AfD is developing relations with the Communist Party of China, sending delegations there and advocating cooperation with China. Here again, the AfD has a position opposed to the aggressive policy pursued by Europe and the Atlantic camp toward China. And the AfD also criticizes Trump’s policies. In the words of AfD co-chair Tino Chrupalla, “NATO and US influence should be removed from Germany by 2028, and US troops should leave the country”. They say that NATO does not serve Germany’s interests. NATO today is the most aggressive instrument of Western imperialism. A political force that opposes NATO cannot be fascist.
AfD visits TRNC
Türkiye policy should also be examined as another litmus test. The AfD takes a similar position relatively close to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The visit by AfD MP Maximilian Krah to the TRNC is particularly striking. Krah faced obstacles but nevertheless overcame them and visited the TRNC. This was a move aimed at breaking the embargo on the TRNC.
Imperialism seeks to eliminate the sovereignty of the TRNC. Once again, then, defending the sovereignty of the TRNC therefore means opposing the most monopolistic and aggressive sections of imperialism. The absorption of the TRNC would mean the monopolization of the Eastern Mediterranean’s resources, seized and exploited by imperialist powers. It would mean eliminating the rights of the Turks in Cyprus. It would mean hostility toward Turks. If you take a position considering the sovereignty of TRNC, then you are opposing monopolism, hostility toward Turks and, consequently, racist ideology as well.
In other words, what we call “fascism” and “racism” cannot be analyzed regardless of economic policy or from the policies of imperialism and the Atlantic camp. All the cases I mentioned –Ukraine, Russia, Palestine, Iran, China, Türkiye and TRCN– should be analyzed accordingly.
The opportunity in Saxony-Anhalt
If we come to the election in Saxony-Anhalt, it is extremely important. If the AfD comes to power or enters government anywhere at the state level, it would mark a turning point. The significance lies not simply in ranking first in an election or getting the majority of the votes; being part of the government in one of states would shatter the perception that “the AfD may win a large share of the vote and may come first in various places, but it can never govern because the state or the system will never allow it” which leads to a second one: “There is no point voting for the AfD because they will never be allowed to form a government.” If the AfD can shatter this perception the party could increase its vote much more rapidly.
One of Germany’s greatest needs that the election in Saxony-Anhalt showed is in fact a new alliance: a government formed jointly by the BSW and the AfD. In the Saxony-Anhalt election, with the BSW also crossing the electoral threshold, the two parties can now form a government together. This would mean an alliance of nationalists, leftists and socialists.
This opportunity places a responsibility on the BSW and the AfD. I think this opportunity should not be wasted. If they seize it, this could pave the way for them to form the government at the federal level in the future.