Germany's political 'firewall' against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) may have backfired, according to critics, by strengthening the party rather than containing it.
How the firewall was meant to work
The unwritten cordon sanitaire, upheld by mainstream parties since the AfD entered parliament in 2017, prohibits any cooperation with the party at federal or state level. The aim was to isolate the far right and deny it legitimacy.
Yet the AfD has continued to gain ground, winning its first district council election in 2023 and becoming the second-strongest party in national polls. Critics argue the firewall has become a rallying point for the party's supporters, who portray it as proof of an establishment conspiracy against them.
Unintended consequences
Political scientist Hajo Funke of the Free University of Berlin said the firewall 'has become a self-fulfilling prophecy: the more you try to exclude the AfD, the more it benefits from the sense of victimhood.'
The strategy has also caused tensions within mainstream parties. Some Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politicians have called for a softer line, arguing that blanket exclusion is unsustainable as the AfD wins more seats.
Impact on the political landscape
The firewall's strict enforcement has varied by region. In Thuringia, the CDU has broken ranks by accepting AfD votes to pass legislation, while in Saxony, the party has ruled out any cooperation.
Meanwhile, the AfD has used the firewall to frame itself as the only true opposition, a pitch that has resonated with voters disillusioned with the mainstream. The party's co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, said the firewall 'proves that the establishment is afraid of the people's will.'
As the AfD continues to rise in the polls, the debate over whether the firewall is still fit for purpose is likely to intensify, with no clear consensus on an alternative strategy.
