German mainstream scrambles to thwart rising popularity of the far right, DW News

The Alternative for Germany (AfD), which the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has partially classified as rightwing extremist, is enjoying record highs in opinion polls. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets to demonstrate against the antiimmigration party. The German Bundestag is also debating how to deal with the AfD, with the three governing parliamentary factions the centerleft Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) submitting a motion on the issue. The topic: Resilient democracy in a diverse country a clear stand against the enemies of democracy and their plans of forced The move was prompted by a media report about a meeting last fall of rightwing extremists, attended by AfD officials as well as members of the centerright Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The gathering is said to have been about plans for the socalled remigration, or expulsion, of mi