Diversity Macht Frei
September 25, 2017
The president of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, described the fact that the AfD is entering parliament with a double-digit result as the greatest democratic challenge since 1949.
“Unfortunately our fears have been made real: a party that tolerates far-right thinking in its ranks and incites against minorities in our country is represented, not only in all regional parliaments, but also in the federal parliament.” For the first time a right-wing populist party with strong overlaps with the far-right scene has been elected to the federal parliament on this scale.
Schuster says that he expects the democratic forces to reveal the true face of the AfD and to expose the party’s empty, populist promises. It is now about fighting for democracy in parliament and forcefully defending its values.The other parties in the federal parliament must not make use of or provoke the AfD against one another, said the president of the Central Council. “One goal should unite all democratic parties: making it clear to the voters that the AfD is no alternative, and putting it back where it belongs – under the 5% barrier!”
Parties below 5% are not represented in the German parliament. This measure was designed specifically to keep out far-right patriotic parties.
Also see this. Jews call for the AfD to be outlawed.
Ronald Lauder, president of the New York-based World Jewish Congress, called Chancellor Angela Merkel a “true friend of Israel and the Jewish people” and decried the AfD’s gains at a time when anti-Semitism was increasing across the globe.
“It is abhorrent that the AfD party, a disgraceful reactionary movement which recalls the worst of Germany’s past and should be outlawed, now has the ability within the German parliament to promote its vile platform,” Lauder said.