The Rise of a New Political Era in Germany
The Rise of a New Political Era in Germany

Summary/Abstract: Germany, the most important and powerful member state of the European Union, is currently Europe’s leader. In the summer of 2015, the refugee crisis hit the European continent and Germany, in particularly, had been the most preferred destination by the refugees. In August 2015, German chancellor Angela Merkel from CDU (Christian Democratic Union) had addressed the German citizens, stating that: “We can do it!” (German “Wir schaffen das!”) and had decided to offer support in Germany, to around one million refugees from the Middle East and Africa. The decision had been perceived as a good and humanitarian act by the citizens and public opinion. The Germans had welcomed the refugees who were fleeing from the war, hunger, and poverty in their own countries. A couple of months later, Merkel had stated again that “We can do it!”, but the reality had changed. The decision to receive these refugees to Germany and the attempt to adapt them to the German and the European culture and civilization had failed. This step that had been undertaken by Merkel, had compelled the citizens to turn their back to the old traditional parties, such as CDU, SPD (Social Democratic Party) and CSU (Christian Social Union) and to change their political preferences to AfD (Alternative for Germany). This article aims to explore the rise of this young party in a political world dominated by the Christian and Social Democratic parties for years, in Germany.

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