News / Germany's Socio-Political Climate and Its Impact on Poland [109]

Are you aware of a single prominent figure within the AfD who has been really critical of Putin?

Genuine question, I have watched numerous talk shows in which AfD politicians downplayed russia's actions and at best they 'll start with one sentence condemning the war and then use the rest of the time defending Putin and Russia. And why wouldn't they not, Putin's regime has been supporting them for the last ten years.

Most telling was Alice Weidel's appearance on Markus Lanz (06.03.2025) in which she called Zelensky a "beggar president". The amount of contempt she had in her voice for a man who is fighting for the survival of his nation.... . She never put that kind of weight behind her half-hearted criticism of Putin.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


Which is one of the more convincing arguments that I have heard regarding an AfD Verbot. A little more time is often what makes the difference between success and failure in politics. Who knows how things had turned out if the democratic parties in the Weimar Republic had had a little more time to build on the success of the "golden" 5 years of the late 1920s before the world economy crashed.


I fear the destructive potential of populist parties. Destroying things is easy and goes relatively fast, while rebuilding from the ashes is difficult and requires time. We take e.g. the EU for granted nowadays, but building it required multiple generations of politicians who both had the vision and fortuna to make it happen. And the AfD wants to put that at risk. Same goes for the threat of Russia. I'd rather see as acting as the leader uniting other countries against the Russian threat, then siding with Putin and in the best case alineating our closest political and economic partners (worst case we see war spreading from Ukraine to other European countries).

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


And why do you believe that France would be better off if MLP was in charge instead of Macron?

All she has done so far is advocating for destructive policies. Her Russia policies were atrocious, and she sabotaged any attempts to reform the cumbersome French wellfare state.

And the AfD is even worse.

That is what people said back in the early 1930s. The economy is bad, we had a world war less than 2 decades ago, let someone new take shot. It can't possibly get any worse. But it could and it did.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


No, because the AfD candidate only came in 4th place with less than 10% of the votes and thus hasn't reached the second round.

nrz.de/politik/article409889501/ergebnisse-so-lief-die-kommunalwahl-2025-in-koeln.html


It is simply an observation. There are AfD mayors now and even a Landrat and their performance has been less than stellar. And it has been observed that regions with strong AfD election results have found it more difficult to attract skilled workers from abroad.


The AfD is primarily held back from power due to their own choices. We could have had a black-blue government today, if the AfD had followed into the footsteps of Meloni and Le Pen, but instead of getting rid off the crazies in their ranks, they promoted them and gave them leadership positions. If a political movement is so toxic, that not even their French, Italian and Polish counterparts want anything to do with them, then maybe not forming a government with them is less a conspiracy from the democratic parties and more a consequence of their survival instincts.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


We shall see. Merz has now implemented significant changes in our asylum system and the number of new arrivals reflect that. We may even see regular deportation flights to Afghanistan in the future if recent news reports are to believed.

The AfD is a one-trick party. They do well when the refugee numbers are up, and when other issues emerge they lose votes, like they did in 2021.

The crucial issue now is that the economy recovers.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


Not really. The Greens fully expected to lose compared to 5 years ago and their share of votes was larger than feared. They may even end up with a mayor in the town of Münster or Cologne, something the AfD can only dream about.


Yeah, and Sweden is a crime-infested hellhole, instead of one of the most peaceful and prosperous places on Earth. That is at least the impression one would have if one follows far-right propaganda. NRW is a large area with roughly as many people of living there as in East Germany. There are very poor places there but also very prosperous ones. Going by income per cirizen NRW remains among the upper half of German states.

Cologne was the site of infamous Sylvester night in 2015. Now the citizens will either choose an mayor from the Green party or the SPD.


It is when you look at how places develop where the AfD has grown strong. Things only get worse there because on top of having no solutions to the structural problems of the regions, they make them even less appealing to the skilled migrants we so desperately need (and they have no idea of how to get rid off the unskilled, illegal ones either).

On the real bright side though, the BSW only got 1% of the votes. So Putin's parties only poll at around 22%, which is not great, but also not detrimental to the politic stability of the state.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]

This is still the 2nd best result the Greens ever had in NRW. And compared to 5 years ago, priorities have changed for many voters. Climate change has become less of a concern while the economy is now seen as a priority. So not a result they can proud off, but nothing to be ashamed off either.

It is sad though to see that an increasing nunber of people in home state are now voting for people who'll actively make things much worse for everyone. People who are not interested in solving issues but in keeping them open love to talk down everything.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


The old ones sure. Doesn't mean that there can't be new ones.


It wasn't though. The murder of people trying to escape the GDR was in fact illegal even by the laws of the GDR. There were even some attempts to prosecute the culprits by GDR attorneys until the Politburo put a stop to it. Which is why it was possible to prosecute the culprits after 1989, because they could not fall back on the "nulla poena sine lege" argument.

This is also the difference between the GDT and FRG. The FRG follows the rule of law, and any attempt to ban the AfD will need to convince the German Constitutional Court, not the government. If


1. We are not living in a failing state. We experience economic difficulties and our state is need of reform, but we are not living in Somalia, Venezuela or Russia.

That distinction is important because I know quite a few AfD voters who keep saying that "since things cant get any worse, the AfD should get a shot" Except of course, things can get infinitely worse from where we are right now. We are still living in a peaceful, wealthy country in which most people can live a decent, peaceful life.

2. Nobody has anything against opposition. The problem with the AfD is though that they dont seem to want to reform the system, fix what is broken but destroy it at the expense of values that lie at the heart of our constitution. That is not acceptable and never will be.

2. There is

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


I'd argue there is difference between calling Biermann or Höcke a fascist.


Not really. And I don't understand why some people fall for this narrative of the AfD, when the parallels to 1933 are also much more obvious.

In 1989 there was a popular democratic revolution against a corrupt and failing dictatorship that kept its' people imprisoned.

In 1933 there was a young democracy during a time of economic crisis, which was under fire from that far-right and far-left who gained enough strength to prevent the formation of any democratic government.


Leaving aside that people who call for those measures against the AfD do so on the basis of our constitution and the law, whereas the GDR persecuted people even in direct violation of its' own laws, it is certainly too early to say that.

The GDR collapsed not because it persecuted the opposition, but because it was a failing system that never worked properly and thus never enjoyed popular support. It was doomed the moment the Soviets decided that keeping it alive was no longer worth the cost.

The AfD in its' current form has existed for barely 10 years now. By political standards, that is no time at all.

If they want to govern, they need to either gain more than 50% of the votes or to convince other parties form a coalition with them. As long as they champion positions that go against everything their likely coalition partner stand for (e.g. regarding the EU, Putin, Ukraine) and have politicians in their ranks with whom no respectable person would want to be seen with this will remain impossible.

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]

Where is the parallels to 1989 exactly?

News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]


Hindenburg, 30.01.1933

News / Why should Poland consider pursuing a strategic alliance with Russia? [392]


Not to the rank of world power, but Russia would certainly became significantly more dangerous to the rest of Europe and Eastern Europe in particular.

Off-Topic / AfD Party is growing ever more powerful throughout country [187]


I'd argue that is the wrong question. Rather than "kicking" the Americans out, any German government will have to make a case to the Americans as to why staying is in the interest of the USA. All the AfD needs to do is shrug when asked what they are willing to offer the USA for a continued American presence and that's it.

Off-Topic / AfD Party is growing ever more powerful throughout country [187]


Not if the AfD has a say. They have made it clear that they don't want any hostilities with Russia.


Who would no longer be able to operate from Germany.

Off-Topic / AfD Party is growing ever more powerful throughout country [187]


Yet Poland is already struggling with the refugees that have arrived so far from Ukraine.


Now add the border with Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus. A pretty long border to protect.


Is the current status of Belarus good for Poland's security? Would Poland's geopolitical situation improve if Belarus was neutral instead of being a Russian satellite?

Nevermind that by subjugating Ukraine, Russia gain access to the most battle-hardened soldiers on the European continent, who have far more experience in fighting a modern war than any other army.


You do realize that they view Russia as an ally, not a threat, don't you?

Off-Topic / AfD Party is growing ever more powerful throughout country [187]

The AfD is not only pro-Russian but also anti-Ukrainian. So if the AfD gets into power:

Germany stops all support for Ukraine =>Ukraine loses its' largest remaining supporter=>Ukraine collapses=>Millions of Ukrainian refugees would travel to Poland (and not allowed into Germany ofc)=>Poland has also now a long border from Kaliningrad to Lwiv with Russia and its' proxies.

How would that be in Poland's interest?

Never mind NATO that supporting Poland/Eastern Europe would become next to impossible without Germany as a logistical hub.

Off-Topic / AfD Party is growing ever more powerful throughout country [187]

The author really doesn't know anything about the AfD does he? Sadly the article is locked for me, but how does he reconcile the AfD's anti-NATO, anti-Ukraine pro-Russia and pro-NS positions with Poland's interests?

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]

Fascinating how those nationalists are supporting Merkel's arguments from 2015. Back then she argued that returning undocumented refugees to the country of entry into the EU would destablize those countries in Southern Europe, who were still affected by the debt crisis. And by then we were about a few thousand new arrivals per day, not month.

If Warsaw is unhappy about those controles, all it needs to so is properly register any new arrivals and process their asylum applications.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


I'd say it was spot on.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Because they seem to believe that Germany will just take them off their hands? Merz has now made it clear that this is no longer the case. Again, something I thought Poland wanted all along?


It does. European law couldn't be clearer on that matter. The EU country on which a refugee first sets foot in, is responsible for registering him and processing his asylum application. If the refugee leaves, the EU in which he was registered in has to take him back.


You mean they know European law and are aware how countries should follow it?


Those who came under Merkel? Sure. But hardly anyone who arrives ad finitum. Merz is now doing what Poland wanted Merkel to do all along. Except now those refugees are no longer exclusively arriving through Southern Europe.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


I am just stating facts here. Germany is surrounded by EU countries (and Switzerland, another safe country). If refugees are still arriving per land in large numbers, they can only do so because the neighbouring countries are allowing them to do so.


Not really. It is easy to blame Poland here because that is Poland's responsibility. Any state with a non-EU border is required to register and process all arriving refugees and take back any that have made it through according to EU law. Not only has Poland waved refugees through, it has also refused in many cases to take those refugees back that came via Poland.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Dublin predates Merkel.


Our government is doing both now as they should.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Taking their finger prints would be a good start. Once Poland actually follows its' obligations and there are still problems, we can think of other measures.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Register them and process their asylum application. Once they are in the system, they can be sent back whenever they make their way to Germany.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Two things to consider here.

1) It is far from certain that Germany is breaking EU law here. There are conditions under which border controles and e.g. suspending Dublin are perfectly legal per EU law. The German government argues that those conditions are met. The European courts will have the final say on the matter, we will know how things stand in 1-2 years.

2) We are in the current situation because Germany's neighbours - including Poland - have been systematically breaking EU law. Per EU law, Poland is responsible for any refugee that crosses the border from Belarus, not Germany. That Poland is instead of processing their asylum application is instead waving them through and even refuses to take them back afterwards is in clear violation of Dublin and has now led to the German reaction.


Is she still chancellor? The new German government has made it clear that her refugee policy is no longer applied. Something I thought most people in Poland would welcome?

I suppose now that those migrants are no longer exclusively arriving from Southern Europe, this might have changed.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Why would Germans have an issue with that? As long as Poland takes the migrants who have been caught at the Polish-German border back all the better.

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]


Poland has introduced border controles at the Polish-Lithuanian border. Is Poland undermining Lithuania's legitimacy?

News / Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania [101]

What hypocrisy on the Polish side. For years various Polish governments have claimed that Germany's decision to not controle its' borders was the reason why so many migrants were coming to Europe.

Now that Germany is controlling its' borders they are still unhappy because now the realization sets in that they can no longer wave migrants through to Germany, but may actually be stuck with those arrivals.

I suppose the silver lining here is the decision to controle the borders to Lithuania will also mean that fewer migrants will come through this route.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

You need help.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


And if their prefered candidate doesn't win, they'll just falsify the elections like they did in 2009.

And that is for the presidential office, which has very little actual power.