The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has said it plans to replace its youth organisation “Young Alternative” (JA), which was labelled “definitely extremist” by the country’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
On December 2, AfD’s executive committee voted almost unanimously in favour of establishing a new youth organisation that will adopt the model of one of the party’s main political rivals, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The AfD leadership has been unhappy with the JA’s activities for some time, as German media has reported. The organisation has apparently been regarded as too radical and outspoken by some AfD members.
In 2023, the BfV classified JA as “definitely right-wing extremist”. The office reports to interior minister Nany Faeser (SPD) and has itself come under fire from some for what they said was its pushing of a left-wing agenda.
AfD objected to the BfV’s classification but in February 2024, a court in Cologne ruled that it was permissible. JA adhered to a “concept of descent-based ethnicity”, the court found. The JA’s central political idea was “the preservation of the German people in its ethnic continuity” and this – the court decided – constituted an offence against human dignity.
Despite an AfD representative having called the court’s decision “absurd“, the party has now distanced itself from JA. The final straw, according to media reports, was the arrest on November 6 of several JA members in Saxony for suspected terrorist plans.
Still, as the JA is organised as an independent group under German law, the AfD cannot just dissolve it.
AfD has, therefore, decided to establish a new youth organisation. Under the new model every AfD party member up to 35 years old will automatically also be a member of the new youth group.
Through this AfD said it aimed better to control and influence the latter’s activities. This system is known as the “Juso model” in Germany, named after the youth organisation of the SPD, the Jungsozialisten or simply Jusos.
The AfD’s decision was met with acclaim by right-wing pundits. Ulrich van Suntum, an economist affiliated with the party, said: “The AfD will only become fit for coalitions if it cuts ties with its radical elements.”
He added that, similarly, the Conservative Christian Democratic Union party should do the same with what he called its “Greens and Socialists in disguise”.
Wenn das stimmt, wäre es m.E. eine gute Nachricht. Die AfD wird nur koalitionsfähig werden, wenn sie sich von ihren Radikalinskis trennt. Und die CDU muss umgekehrt ihre verkappten Grünen und Sozis loswerden. Unsere letzte Rettung vor dem Untergang.https://t.co/07teUIETZg
— Ulrich van Suntum (@Pietbull47) December 2, 2024
Brussels Signal reached out to JA for comment but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
