Elon Musk makes surprise appearance at AfD event in eastern Germany

[eril@feddit.org]

For one: Them getting more than 20% is scary and shows we have a big problem in our country. Also them being the second-largest party in Germany is insane to me. But by itself that is not enough to get into the government, it still needs some other party to work with them.

Unfortunately the rhetoric of the CDU, which is the "just conservative" party is in my eyes pretty similar to the Afd at the moment and they are currently polling at around 30%.
CDU decided on a ban working together with the Afd at all some years ago, but it never seemed more likely they would just drop that and then a potential coalition of CDU + Afd would have around 50% of the vote. Certainly enough to form a government.
I'm still somewhat positive they would not actually decide to do that, but you know, by now I also would not be surprised anymore

As a last resort I'm banking on our "supreme court" (Bundesverfassungsgericht ) to strike down the worst things, since it still seems to be intact, unlike in the US. But courts are slow and you can do a lot of damage even with stuff that is not clearly unconstitutional...

[grant_m@lemmy.ca]

Nazi shows up at a Nazi event,

[sapphiresphinx@feddit.org]

They have some form of proportional representation so at least some of these Nazis are getting into their government

No. They are not getting into government unless the conservatives (CDU) build a coalition government together with these Nazis. They are getting into parliament.

[sapphiresphinx@feddit.org]

Why should this prevent a ban?

It makes no sense at all and the ruling of the supreme court enabled the Nazis to get where they are today.

First they where too small to be banned. Now they are to big to be banned because politicians fear their voters. All the while they get subsidized from our taxes and get ample time on TV and in the press because they are a legal party and they are not banned. It's crazy yet here we are.

[cyberegg@discuss.tchncs.de]

Because banning a party is a delicate thing. It is a dangerous tool, the last possible defence against extremist parties. Therefore it must not be used lightly, and the realistic chance to actually gain legislative power to implement extremist policies is a requirement for a party ban.

[cyberegg@discuss.tchncs.de]

The AfD is not too big to be banned, some politicians are just cowards or secretly sympathetic to the AfD.

I'm talking legal requirements for a party ban, not why members of parliament don't want to start the process.

[barsoap@lemm.ee]

I was talking about the context of seeing the photo of Elon Musk’s Nazi salute being projected onto the side of a building.

And everyone in Germany understood it as branding Tesla as Nazi. A big "Don't buy cars from Nazis" sign. The cultural implication is "Own a Tesla? Better get a sticker distancing yourself or a packet of charcoal starters might find itself located on one of those tyres".

Nazis cheering for Musk is a different phenomenon.

[albert180@discuss.tchncs.de]

Tesla has some cult like Followers which are doing Olympic Level Mental Gymnastics.

Just like Church of Apple Members

[justjack23@slrpnk.net]

America* FTFY

of course not all Americans, but maga, all of silicone valley, whoever works for Elon....

[trollercoaster@sh.itjust.works]

A very big one. They are polling above 20% currently, and instead of countering them, the established parties are trying to fish for votes by copying their talking points. As one AfD politician already publically stated, they don't need to hold any office in order to shape policy.

The "conservative" CDU is already openly considering cooperating with them, after the election, they certainly will enter a coalition with them if that's the path to office.

The whole state of affairs in Germany is horrifyingly reminiscent of the situation in the late stages of the Weimar Republic.

[trollercoaster@sh.itjust.works]

And that's exactly the Problem with the AfD. Other parties, especially the so-called "conservatives" of the CDU, are more than happy to cooperate with the Nazi scum if that gets them what they want.

[monkdervierte@lemmy.ml]

It got a bit out of hand, because the only ones wanting him thete were the Nazis.

[tomawsm@lemmy.world]

How do we vote someone out that was never voted in?

(this isn't to be contrarian, I agree with everything in your comment)

[glasshalfhopeful@lemmy.ca]

Off I've gone reading and now I've started to understand...

[glasshalfhopeful@lemmy.ca]

Damn. I appreciate this insight. I've been doing some reading and I can see how and why Germans are worried.

[myrrh@ttrpg.network]

do you do that with greater-than symbols?

...ah, looks like you do; good to know...

[federalreverse@feddit.org]

No need to ruin the entire day with a trip if the right-wing asshats will fawn over you all the same. Ultimately, influencing German politics is only another part-time effort for Elmo. Which can be seen in other ways too, such as mispelling Weidel as "Wiedel" in the announcement of his ralk with her or behaving condescendingly toward her.

[barsoap@lemm.ee]

When composing a comment the web ui has a couple of buttons including a question mark one sending you to, ultimately, a tutorial, and there's a "view source" button under each comment.

That may or may not be the case for mobile apps. If it isn't, you can do your part by reporting it as a bug.

[100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it]

Death, taxes, German having a word for it, whatever it may be.

[100_kg_90_de_belin@feddit.it]

Given the choice between far-right and far-left, parties like the CDU will always go with the fascists