The German AfD party stops sugarcoating its message. Alice Weidel – officially the AfD candidate for German Chancellor – used the word “remigration” publicly for the first time, and her party sent leaflets in the form of “deportation tickets” to the residents of Karlsruhe.
Passenger: illegal immigrant. Destination: safe country of origin. Departure date: February 23, the day of early parliamentary elections in Germany. Such leaflets resembling airline tickets were sent to residents of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.
– It's terrible, terrible, shameful. I think this is a very vile and evil action, says Dietmar Herz, a resident of Karlsruhe.
– This is a difficult topic. I do not support this solution, but there are people in our country who are here illegally. This shouldn't be the case, points out Verona Bediaku, a resident of Karlsruhe.
Deportation tickets in mailboxes
The originator of the controversial anti-immigration campaign is the far-right and pro-Russian Alternative for Germany. Deportation tickets were to be placed in mailboxes in areas inhabited largely by immigrants. The AfD denies this and claims that the leaflets are addressed to all voters.
– It's part of the election campaign. It's about showing this point. When you put a regular leaflet in the mailbox, no one looks at it. This one attracts attention. You can look at it, read it and pay attention to legitimate demands that do not require anything other than compliance with the law, says Marc Bernhard, a member of the Alternative for Germany.
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The left accuses AfD of inciting hatred and claims that the group showed its true face through a leaflet campaign. The police are investigating the case.
– I filed a police report. These leaflets are a threat to residents. They incite hatred and create a climate of fear, says Marcel Bauer from the left-wing grouping Die Linke.
– The campaign crossed borders and threatened social unity. Finding such notes in the mailbox reinforces the feeling of uncertainty and fear, comments Frank Mentrup, mayor of Karlsruhe.
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“Only remigration can save Germany”
About 30,000 leaflets were printed as part of the campaign. They bear the slogans “it's also nice at home” and “only remigration can save Germany.” “Deportation tickets” can also be found on the website of the local AfD branch.
“The fact that the AfD seems to want to expel people en masse under the term 'remigration' shows not only its contempt for humanity, but also how much deportations would harm Germany in terms of business and labor costs,” says Nancy Faeser, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Inner Germany, in an interview for Deutsche Welle.
According to the head of the German Interior Ministry, almost 25 million people in Germany, or about 30 percent of the population, have migration roots. The AfD announces that after coming to power it will begin mass deportations.
– Such a simple message about simply mass displacement of migrants and turning them back from the borders falls on fertile ground in the form of fears of a large part of German society. When the most radical AfD supporters formulate a vision of some mass displacements, it is not entirely clear whether they mean only illegal immigrants or also people who may be considered insufficiently German – comments Łukasz Jasiński from the Polish Institute of International Affairs.
During the weekend AfD convention, Alice Weidel – the party's candidate for chancellor – announced that under her leadership, Germany would withdraw from the EU asylum policy. The Alternative for Germany is currently in second place in the polls, this far-right party enjoys 20 percent support.
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Main photo source: Reuters