Germany’s AfD party stops sugar coating its message. Alice Weidel – officially the AfD’s candidate for German chancellor – used the word “immigration” publicly for the first time, and her party sent leaflets in the form of “deportation tickets” to residents of Karlsruhe.
Passenger: illegal immigrant. Destination: safe country of origin. Date of visit: February 23, the day of early parliamentary elections in Germany. Such leaflets, similar to airplane tickets, were sent to the residents of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.
– This is terrible, terrible, shameful. I think this is a very ugly and evil act, says Dietmar Herz, a resident of Karlsruhe.
– This is a difficult topic. I am not in favor of this solution, but there are people in our country who are here illegally. It should not be like this, – explains Verona Bediaku, a resident of Karlsruhe.
Deportation tickets in list boxes
The author of the controversial anti-immigration campaign is an extremist and pro-Russian party for Germany. “Deportation tickets” were supposed to be placed in mailboxes in areas where immigrants live. The AfD denies this and claims that the leaflets are aimed at all voters.
– This is part of the election campaign. It is about showing this point. When you put an ordinary letter in the mailbox, no one looks at it. This thing attracts attention. You can see it, read it and pay attention to the legal requirements, which require nothing more than compliance with the law, says Mark Bernhard, a member of the organization Alternative for Germany.
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The left accuses the AfD of inciting hatred and claims the group has shown its true colors through a leaflet campaign. The police are investigating the case.
– I filed a police report. These leaflets pose a danger to residents. They incite hatred and create an atmosphere of fear, says Marcel Bauer of the left-wing group Die Linke.
– The campaign crossed the line and threatened social unity. Finding such notes in the mailbox reinforces feelings of uncertainty and fear, explains Frank Mentrup, the mayor of Karlsruhe.
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“Germany can only be saved by immigration”
As part of this campaign, about 30,000 leaflets were printed. They chanted “it’s good at home too” and “only immigration can save Germany” “Deportation tickets” can also be found on the website of the local AfD branch.
“The AfD seems to want to throw people out en masse with the term ‘immigration,’ not only because of its hatred of humanity, but also because of how much deportations will hurt Germany in terms of business and labor costs,” says Nancy Fazer , the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Inner Germany in a conversation with the correspondent of the Deutsche Welle agency.
According to Fazer, about 25 million people or about 30 percent of the population in Germany have immigrant roots. The AfD announces that it will begin mass deportations once it comes to power.
– Such a simple message about the mass displacement of migrants and their return from the border falls on fertile ground in the form of fear of a large part of the German society. When the radical supporters of the AfD formulate the vision of some mass resettlement, it is not entirely clear whether they mean only illegal immigrants or people who can be considered sufficiently German, explains Lukasz Jasinski of the Polish Institute of International Affairs.
At this weekend’s AfD convention, Alice Weidel – the party’s candidate for chancellor – announced that under her leadership, Germany would withdraw from the European Union’s asylum policy. Alternative for Germany is currently in second place, and the far-right party enjoys 20 percent support.
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Main photo source: Reuters
