![]() ![]() 83% of its members are against the deal, a higher percentage than among members of Germany's leftwing Die Linke party.The AfD shares another tendency with the German left: during the Ukrainian crisis, the party became one of the most vocal critics of the role played by the EU and US. Unlike the Conservatives, Alternative für Deutschland rejects outright the free trade agreement between Europe and the US in its current form. There are policy areas where it is even harder to see the British and German MEPs pursuing a common line. ![]() It will be interesting to see whether the German eurosceptics' stance on gay marriage can be reconciled with that of David Cameron's Tories. Von Storch has described support networks for young gay people at German schools as "forced sexualisation" (pdf). In May, the economist Wolfgang Glomb left the party with a parting shot at its economic credentials, describing the AfD's eurozone policies as "nonsense, economically catastrophic".īernd Lucke, the party's leader and a self-professed Calvinist, has reiterated in interviews that he is "not a liberal", while new MEP Beatrix von Storch, who is considered one of the leading voices of party's conservative faction, frequently asserts that she sees the AfD as founded on a "Christian view of humanity". In recent months, prominent figures from the liberal wing such as the spokesperson Dagmar Metzger have severed their ties with the party, complaining that Christian fundamentalist elements in the party were wielding too much influence.įranz Niggemann, a former AfD chairman in Berlin's Tempelhof district, wrote on his website that he had left the party because it was "moving in a rightward direction toward illiberalism, with a strong tendency to discriminate against minority groups". Her party also faced an internal split over anti-Semitic sentiment this week.Ī Infratest Dimap poll puts the support for AfD in Germany to 12 percent.Since concerns about the stability of the eurozone have vanished from the forefront of many Germans' minds, the AfD has partially realigned itself to a domestic agenda. And we need to defend ourselves against attacks," said von Storch, who is a member of the European Parliament. "A person not accepting a 'halt' on our border is an attacker. She also slammed "Bild & co" for reading her statement as "race baiting."Įarlier this year, von Storch also prompted criticism by saying that German border guards should fire at refugees crossing the border illegally. And: I still call them 'the national team.' Because that is what they are, with all their players – our national team," she wrote on Facebook. "Our national team has deserved to pass through after their best game of the tournament. ![]() Instead, she said she was complaining about the media, who no longer refer to the footballers as the "national team" in German. On Friday, however, Von Storch deleted her controversial tweet and denied any intent to stir prejudice. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gauland stated that the people in Germany "don't want to have a Boateng as their neighbor," despite appreciating the black football star for his sporting achievements.īoateng was also at the center of another racist controversy in May after suspected supporters of the anti-Islam group PEGIDA criticized the fact that childhood pictures of Boateng and fellow national team player Ilkay Gündogan, who is of Turkish descent, appeared on the packaging of a popular chocolate brand, in a special edition ahead of the 2016 European - Outpour of support for Boateng after 'neighbor' remark The AfD has already sparked with von Storch's party colleague, Alexander Gauland, commenting on Germany's defender, Jerome Boateng. A Catholic bishop from Hamburg, Hans-Jochen Jaschke, said the politician's statement "deserves a permanent red card." "I've just been reading the Twitter feed of this Storch woman and I think I need to puke," user Celine wrote.Īn editor of Bild, Germany's top mass-circulation newspaper, called von Storch a "dumb racist," with hundreds of others joining the accusation of racism. "Who is this wretched person that cannot be happy that we are the champions of the world," deputy of the Greens Omid Nouripour wrote, referring to Germany's 2014 world title. "Pure stupidity," senior Social Democrat Ralf Stegner tweeted back. Germany's national selection boasts several footballers with immigrant parents, five of whom played against France on Thursday night. Other Twitter users responded with outrage to what they perceived to be a jab at football players with foreign roots. "Well, maybe next time the German NATIONAL TEAM should play again," Von Storch tweeted late Thursday. The high-profile AfD politician commented on the Germany's loss to France in the semi-final match of the Euro 2016 football championship. ![]()
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