Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU) has launched a counter-offensive against criticism regarding the federal government’s approach to the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, Dobrindt stated that the AfD does not offer solutions but rather exacerbates tensions and seeks to divide society. He accused the party of needlessly stirring up concerns among the population. “They are attempting to artificially inflate uncertainty” he added.
Dobrindt’s remarks come in response to ongoing debate surrounding the migration policies of the black-red coalition government. The increasing poll numbers of the AfD have prompted questions regarding the effectiveness of Dobrindt’s strategy, which aims to reduce polarization within German society – and subsequently the AfD’s electoral support – through a more stringent asylum policy.
While recent asylum figures indicate a downward trend, with first-time asylum requests down 60% in August, the AfD continues to gain ground in opinion polls. In Saxony-Anhalt, where a new state parliament will be elected next year, the party currently polls at 39% according to Infratest.
Dobrindt defended the coalition’s migration policy, pointing to the statistics. “The fact is: asylum figures are decreasing significantly because the federal government is consistently implementing its migration policy shift: through border controls, faster deportations and agreements at the European level”. He asserted that those accepting responsibility are providing solutions. “And that’s exactly what we are doing” he stated. Dobrindt concluded that trust in democracy is earned “through visible results”.
