AfD targets and reactions shape German political discourse ahead of elections

Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) remains a focal point of German politics as the party organizes its first "Demokratiekongress" and its candidates prepare for upcoming state elections. The congress, held on 26‑27 June, featured party leaders such as Alexander Gauland, Beatrix von Storch and Ulrich Siegmund, alongside invited speakers from Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Speakers warned that measures like § 188 StGB and the EU’s Digital Services Act threaten free speech, and AfD leaders argued that a “brandmauer” – a media exclusion wall – is eroding democratic debate.

In Schleswig‑Holstein, CDU Minister‑President Daniel Günther reiterated his goal of keeping the AfD out of the state parliament, stating, “I am proud to live in a land where we have no radical forces in the legislature.” He warned that the AfD’s policies would “slow the economy, endanger jobs and make life more expensive,” labeling the party unpatriotic.

AfD’s Ulrich Siegmund appeared on the talk show Lanz, where he said the party intends to dissolve one or two ministries if it gains a governing majority in Saxony‑Anhalt, though he declined to specify which. The interview highlighted internal debates over government restructuring and accusations of nepotism within the party.

The media landscape is also contested, with right‑wing commentators accusing public broadcasters of becoming “educational institutions” and left‑wing groups accusing the AfD of threatening democracy. Together, these events illustrate the intensifying struggle over the party’s role in Germany’s democratic system.