In Berlin, the police are currently looking into a controversial election campaign flyer distributed by a far-right political group that resembles a plane ticket and advocates for the deportation of “illegal immigrants.”
The flyer was posted on the website of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s local chapter in Karlsruhe. Its design mimics that of a boarding pass and carries the message “only remigration can still save Germany.” The date on it coincides with the upcoming general elections in Germany, scheduled for February 23.
Reports indicate that around 30,000 of these flyers were circulated in the southwestern city, as noted by a local news agency.
Authorities in Karlsruhe have initiated a criminal inquiry based on suspicions of inciting hatred through this material.
The matter has sparked debates on social media, with some accounts alleging that the flyers were purposely placed in the mailboxes of migrant households. In response, the AfD’s local branch in Karlsruhe claimed that the flyer was meant for all voters eligible to participate in the election.
Frank Mentrup, the mayor of Karlsruhe, publicly criticized the AfD for crossing ethical boundaries with this flyer. He remarked that receiving such material in one’s mailbox instills feelings of insecurity and fear, which should not be part of an electoral campaign.
Economic conditions, along with migration issues, rank among the primary concerns for voters ahead of the elections.
Current polls indicate that the AfD is positioned second in the run-up to election day, garnering approximately 20% of public support. However, Alice Weidel, the party’s chancellor candidate who recently interacted with Elon Musk following his support for AfD on social media, faces an uphill battle as other political entities have ruled out collaboration with AfD.
While mainstream parties have refrained from calling for widespread deportation of migrants, many Germans are in favor of expedited deportations for those whose asylum applications have been denied. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly expressed commitments to enhancing the deportation processes for such individuals.
Furthermore, reports from the European Union’s border agency Frontex indicate a notable reduction in unauthorized border crossings in 2024.
In Germany, the count of asylum applications plummeted significantly last year, reflecting a 30.2% decrease from the previous year, with the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees recording 250,945 new applications.
Just a year ago, the AfD had made efforts to distance itself from extreme far-right suggestions about the “remigration” of numerous immigrants, which had caused significant public protests. Now, however, the party is openly advocating for such actions. During a recent party conference, Weidel reiterated her push for closing Germany’s borders to undocumented migrants and called for mass deportations of asylum seekers, embracing the contentious term “remigration.”
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser denounced the AfD’s migration policy, cautioning against creating divisions among Germans based on their immigrant backgrounds. With nearly 25 million individuals in Germany having immigrant roots, Faeser emphasized the detrimental impacts of AfD’s rhetoric on national unity.
She stated, “The AfD’s intentions appear to advocate for the mass expulsion of people under the guise of ‘remigration,’ which reveals not only a lack of regard for human dignity but also poses significant risks to Germany’s economic stability and job market.”
Germany is currently grappling with a serious skilled labor shortage, with estimates indicating that the country requires around 400,000 skilled immigrants annually to combat workforce decline due to aging demographics. Many businesses express concerns that the AfD’s anti-immigrant stance may deter critical talent from relocating to Germany.
