TRANSFORMATION OF THE IDEOLOGICAL PLATFORM AND PARTY DEVELOPMENT “ALTERNATIVES FOR GERMANY” (2013-2022)

Abstract

The article is based on the analysis of documentary sources of the political party “Alternative for Germany” 2013–2021. Also, it includes journalistic sources, analytical, informational, journalistic articles and interviews from various German print or electronic media. In addition, it reffers to scientific works of German and British researchers. Authors of this research try to highlight the main reasons of esteblishment and development of the political party “Alternatives for Germany” under the influence of various external and internal factors. The research revealed that the main reason of the party’s creation was the European debt crisis happened in early 2010s and the policy of assisting Chancellor Angela Merkel of Greece, which violated the principles of subsidiarity under the Maastricht Treaty. At the beginning of his existence the party was posing itself as “soft Euroskeptics”. The further radicalization of the party was caused by the confrontation between liberal and right-wing conservative forces and the beginning of the migration crisis in the mid-2010s. The authors emphesized that the parliamentary elections in the Bundestag in 2017 and 2021, when “Alternative for Germany” was able to gain a foothold in the German political landscape, despite internal party crises were important for the development of the party. After Russian troops invaded Ukraine, the party’s «Alternative for Germany» position is ambivalent. On the one hand, it has been calling Russia to cease hostilities, proclaiming itself to be «the party of peace». But on the other hand, the party «Alternative for Germany» speaks out against military aid for Ukraine, as well its NATO or EU membership. Furthermore, they opposed the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and freezing of «Nord Stream 2» cooperation. Its ambiguous position of the AfD on the war in Ukraine may call for strengthening internal party conflicts and reducing the number of party supporters.