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Former Member of the European Parliament, Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, writes about the recent support of the far-right AfD for CDU-backed bills in the federal parliament—a development that has drawn widespread condemnation of the conservative party. The Green politician warns that sacrificing a key consensus in German politics for electoral gains could undermine fundamental democratic principles
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Political alliance of the Conservatives and the far right
The vote of 29 January 2025 in the Bundestag marked a turning point in Germany’s migration policy. This is an alarming sign for the upcoming elections: the Christian Democratic Party, the CDU, is flirting with the far right. At a time when we are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the war and the liberation from National Socialism. Solemn speeches are made in memory of the victims of National Socialism and the CDU voted at the same time with the voices of the far right (the Alternative for Germany AfD) for a radical tightening of migration policy, namely: The CDU (The Right) and the AfD (The Far Right) want to strengthen border controls with a five-point motion. Rejected asylum seekers will be put in prison as a preventive measure until they leave the country.
Vote in the Bundestag, a gloomy omen for the elections
This vote in the Bundestag will go down in the annals of political history, and is tantamount to a terrible tremor, an earthquake in parliament. The fact that a far-right party, whose ideology is known throughout the world, is helping a democratic party to win a majority in this vote, obliges us to be vigilant, in order to prevent the erosion of fundamental democratic principles. What has happened to our culture of remembrance?
The much-invoked “firewall” or the maintenance of a strict dividing line between democratic parties and an undesirable political group, this firewall following the current vote has developed deep cracks
Polarisation of the migration issue
If migration policy becomes the central issue of the election campaign, we can expect increasing polarisation. No one approves of refugees who have been granted asylum or refugee status in Germany committing violent crimes and endangering the security of the country. The recent case of an Afghan refugee suffering from mental illness who had already requested his own repatriation shows the tragedy and complexity of this problem. Armed with a knife, he killed two people in Aschaffenburg: a two-year-old boy of Moroccan descent sitting in a handcart with at least seven stabs from a 32 cm long kitchen knife. He then stabbed a two-year-old Syrian girl who was also sitting in the handcart, who was seriously injured. A 59-year-old German kindergarten teacher tried to intervene, was pushed away by the man, fell and broke her hand. Two men stood up to the perpetrator: A 41-year-old German was killed, a 72-year-old German was seriously injured by several knife stabs.
This cruel attack causes immeasurable suffering to their families.
My deepest condolences go out to the loved ones who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. I am convinced that I speak on behalf of “The Union of German Parliamentarians of African Descent, all migrants, all opponents of Right-wing Extremism, all peace-loving people – regardless of their origin or identity when I condemn these heinous acts in the strongest possible terms. Such crimes destroy our coexistence and are instrumentalized by the far right to stir up hatred. Many migrants, especially those of African descent, European-Germans, Arabs and those from the Middle East, now fear that they themselves will be the target of anger, popular vindictiveness and reprisals from the population. All of them are afraid, and feel insecure after this cruel act of violence, which they deeply abhor.
The consequences of the new migration policy
The social consequences could be serious: a new turn to the right, the dismantling of integration programmes and the end of many initiatives for peaceful coexistence.
It is time to join forces and resolutely oppose right-wing extremism. It is unbelievable that the Christian Democrats (the CDU) are willing to sacrifice their principles and want to achieve political success with the votes of the far right. Let us not allow social cohesion to be further eroded. Let us not allow discordant voices to sow discord and for division to take hold within the nation between citizens of diverse cultural origins.
There is still time to take the right course on February 23, it is important to elect democratic parties that seriously defend our values. But what else will happen?
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Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, a Member of the European Parliament from 2019-2024, lives in Erlangen
