The far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) is leading in East German polls ahead of the Feb. 23 federal election. The party's success is attributed to economic anxieties, despite improvements in East Germany's economy since reunification. Analysts point to a gap between perceptions of the economy and its real performance, fueling AfD's narrative of economic insecurity and dissatisfaction.
The far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland is dominating polls in East Germany just weeks before the federal election on Feb. 23.
Germany's far-right party is dominating polls in the country's eastern region less than two weeks before the federal elections on Feb. 23 — and economic concerns have played a part in its popularity. These issues have since largely disappeared, and factors such as economic growth and unemployment are no longer major concerns, according to Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg.from Germany's federal employment agency shows that the unemployment rate in East Germany has more than halved from its highs, with the gap compared to unemployment in the West shrinking sharply.
"This is seen as unjust, unfair ... by supporters of the fringe parties, but it's also a sentiment that is very strongly activated by these political actors," he explained, adding that the far right has worked to trigger pre-existing feelings of economic insecurity, being a"second class citizen," and social decline among voters.
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