Controversial Remarks by German Right-Wing Politician Shake European Far-Right Unity
Maximilian Krah, a right-wing German lawmaker, sparked outrage with remarks that resulted in his party being denounced by fellow far-right leaders, leading to a significant rift within the European Parliament's far-right coalition.
A right-wing German lawmaker, Maximilian Krah from the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party, caused controversy with comments deemed unacceptable by other far-right leaders. This led to a major rift within the European Parliament coalition.
Krah's remarks in an Italian newspaper sparked outrage as he suggested that not all members of the SS, a Nazi paramilitary group responsible for guarding concentration camps during World War II, should be considered criminals. He controversially claimed that some individuals in the SS were merely farmers.
Krah, in an interview with La Repubblica last weekend, emphasized the importance of knowing the actions of individuals before labeling them as criminals. He pointed out that among the 900,000 SS men, there were farmers as well, indicating that not everyone in the group was a criminal. Krah made it clear that he does not believe that simply wearing an SS uniform makes someone a criminal.
Following his controversial remarks, the AfD has taken action by banning Krah, their top candidate for the upcoming European elections, from making any public appearances. Experts have noted that Krah's statements have had a ripple effect within Europe's far-right movements, prompting a closer examination of how these parties perceive themselves and their connections.
After Krah's interview was released on Saturday, his party decided to suspend him on Wednesday. They mentioned that he had acknowledged his mistakes and was willing to take full responsibility for his actions. As a result, he agreed to step down from its federal executive board immediately.
Support for the AfD is on the rise and the party is hoping for gains in the European elections.
Support for the AfD is on the rise and the party is hoping for gains in the European elections.
Maja Hitij/Getty Images
The AfD criticized Krah for causing significant harm to the party during the election campaign. They believe that Krah's actions have led to this damage. It is uncertain whether Krah will continue to be the AfD's main candidate for the upcoming European election.
Lorenz Blumenthaler, a political analyst at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation in Berlin, explained to CNN that the AfD only takes action in specific situations. According to Blumenthaler, the party only draws a line when they believe their actions could harm their chances in an election or when they fear a negative impact on how German security forces view them.
Blumenthaler expressed that giving Krah a reprimand right before a major election is a significant political move. He mentioned to CNN that it can make the political party lose credibility and cause more harm than benefit by sticking with a candidate who is not putting in effort or not contributing effectively.
Jordan Bardella of France's National Rally party, which has distanced itself from the AfD.
Jordan Bardella of France's National Rally party, which has distanced itself from the AfD.
Manon Cruz/Reuters
Kicked out of a far-right coalition
On Thursday, a far-right coalition of parties in the European Parliament expelled the AfD from the group.
The Identity and Democracy (ID) bloc announced that they have chosen to remove the AfD from their group, effective immediately. They stated that they no longer want to be linked with the actions involving Maximilian Krah, who heads the AfD list for the European elections.
In Paris, the leaders of the French right-wing party National Rally (RN), which is led by Marine Le Pen and is part of the ID alliance, also distanced themselves from the AfD.
RN President Jordan Bardella stated during a French TV debate on Tuesday that the AfD had "crossed red lines." Bardella further mentioned that they will have new allies after the European elections and will not be in the same group as the AfD.
Joe Düker, a researcher at the Center for Monitoring, Analysis and Strategy (CeMAS), a think tank that tracks extremism, shared with CNN that far-right parties in Europe, especially RN, are attempting to appear more moderate.
According to Düker, far-right populists aim to attract a wider range of voters by projecting a cleaner image than they actually uphold. He mentioned that Le Pen's party has been working on improving their image in recent years, even leading to a split with her father, the party's founder.
Blumenthaler described this image cleansing as the “most absurd dynamic that we have, a new far-right self-consciousness all over Europe.”
The AfD's co-leader Bjoern Hoecke was fined for using banned Nazi slogans.
The AfD's co-leader Bjoern Hoecke was fined for using banned Nazi slogans.
Ronny Hartmann/AFP/Getty Images
The AfD does not seem to have the same level of self-awareness. There have been instances where members openly express far-right ideologies in Germany. Additionally, recent scandals have involved accusations of members spying for China and accepting bribes from Russia.
Björn Höcke, a regional leader for AfD in Thuringia, was fined €13,000 ($14,000) by a German court in May for using banned Nazi slogans, as reported by CNN affiliate N-TV.
Höcke, a former history teacher, plans to be the top candidate for AfD in the state elections in September and is currently the frontrunner to win.
Blumenthaler mentioned that despite these incidents, the party doesn't seem to be negatively impacted, especially in Germany.
He explained, "Even though they caused major issues within the far-right European coalition, it may not have a significant impact on the AfD's support base in Germany."
We can expect the trend of increased AfD extremism to continue, according to Düker. He mentioned to CNN that more radical and extreme ideas are likely to become more acceptable.
Blumenthaler finds the AfD's open radicalism to be an intriguing phenomenon, especially when compared to its European allies.
He shared with CNN, "It's interesting to see that the Austrians and the German far-right branches are the most extreme... you would expect that the historical taboos in Germany and Austria would be stronger. Instead, the far right is becoming increasingly radical, rather than trying to soften their image or actions."
The AfD is currently being monitored domestically due to the threat it poses to Germany's democracy. Despite a recent decrease in popularity, the party is polling higher than each of the three parties in the current governing coalition.
Düker pointed out a resemblance between the AfD and Donald Trump. He mentioned that just like the former President, the more scandals and outrageous statements made by the AfD, the more their followers seem to support them even more.
Barbie Nadeau in Rome and James Frater in London contributed to this report.
