Resurgence of AfD in Refugee Crisis - Factors Bolstering Populist Forces

In the political landscape of Germany, a significant shift took place between 2015 and 2017, and a new documentary, released in 2025, offers an intimate look at this transformation within the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

The documentary, titled "D 2025: Inside the AfD," provides a compelling account of the party's evolution during this critical period, featuring key party members such as Jörg Meuthen, Beatrix von Storch, Uwe Wurlitzer, André Poggenburg, Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, Steffen König, among others. However, the AfD was not without its internal challenges. Co-chairwoman Frauke Petry and a nationalist-nationalist faction known as the Flügel presented formidable opposition within the party.

The backdrop for this political drama was the refugee crisis that erupted in 2015, with over a million people fleeing from countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Albania. Angela Merkel's now-iconic words, "We can do it," on August 31, 2015, regarding the refugee crisis, became a catalyst for the AfD's rise. While Merkel's statement aimed to instill hope, it was increasingly seen as a provocation by opponents of her refugee policy.

The refugee crisis proved to be a boon for the AfD, leading to a surge in polls and making the party the third strongest force in Germany during that year. This surge in popularity culminated in the AfD entering the Bundestag in the 2017 federal election.

The documentary also delves into the internal changes within the AfD during this period. The economically liberal wing around party founder Bernd Lucke was ousted, marking a significant shift in the party's ideology.

Jörg Sebastian Muschter, the then-head of the Berlin LAGeSo, views the events as less a refugee crisis, but "above all an administrative crisis" and a testament to the structural weaknesses of German bureaucracy. The overwhelmed bureaucracy and the issue of migration were exploited by the AfD to make political capital.

Victoria Rietig, a migration researcher, and journalists Robin Alexander, Justus Bender, and David Gebhard provide context for the events depicted in the documentary. They highlight how the refugee crisis of 2015 played a key role in boosting the AfD, with the party capitalizing on public unease about asylum policies and migration.

The documentary, with a runtime of 45 minutes, is available for viewing online, offering viewers a unique insight into Germany's political history. It falls under the genre of Documentary, D 2025. The documentary reveals that the refugee situation led to further radicalization of the AfD, shedding light on the complexities of Germany's political landscape during this period.