Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has called for unity among democrats in opposition to extremists who harbor delusions of forcing cultural assimilation, following revelations about the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party’s discussion of extensive deportation plans should they rise to power.
This gathering of the far-right, which included AfD members, the leader of the Identitarian Movement, and neo-Nazi figures, occurred last November at a hotel near Potsdam.
The investigative journalism platform Correctiv, which broke the story, revealed that the meeting heavily focused on the idea of “re-migration.”
This concept involves the forced repatriation of migrants, purportedly even those holding German citizenship, back to their native countries through widespread deportations.
The event, as detailed by invitations reviewed by Correctiv and the Guardian, was framed as a chance to outline a comprehensive strategy or “masterplan”. Proposals at this meeting included deportation schemes targeting northern African regions, potentially affecting up to 2 million people.
The AfD has seen a surge in popularity, particularly in Eastern Germany, driven in part by public dissatisfaction over immigration issues. The party is currently leading polls in all five eastern states, three of which have upcoming elections this year.
Despite their rise, mainstream parties like the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) have so far dismissed the idea of forming coalitions with the AfD.
However, the AfD’s active participation in these discussions signals its ambitions for significant political influence in the foreseeable future.
“We protect all, regardless of origin, skin color, or how uncomfortable someone is for fanatics with assimilation fantasies,” he wrote on social media.
“Learning from history is about more than just lip service,” he added, in what appeared to be a reference to the Nazi dictatorship, which made race ideology, ostracism, and the deportation of Jews, Roma and Sinti, gay people, and many others the cornerstone of its politics. Scholz continued: “Democrats must stand together.”
