Battle for the hearts of voters: Catholic Church warns of AfD influence!

Battle for the hearts of voters: Catholic Church warns of AfD influence!

In Saxony-Anhalt, concerns are increasing about the upcoming state elections, especially with regard to the strengthening of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The Catholic Church has taken clear positions to draw attention to the worrying political development. Mathias Bethke, the new head of the Saxony-Anhalt Catholic Office, commented on the tense debate culture in the country, which is characterized by polarity and social hostility. In this mixed situation, he sees the church as potentially “detoxifying”, with the aim of strengthening social cohesion and providing valuable impulses. Bethke has only been in office for a short time, having succeeded Stephan Rether, who led the office for over 26 years.

The Catholic Church in Saxony-Anhalt has noticed that Christians are becoming less and less the majority there. Nevertheless, there is a strong interest in a Christian view of humanity that addresses important issues such as the protection of human dignity. Bethke would like to use this access to formulate church requests to politicians clearly and without suspicion. A central concern is to avoid misunderstandings and not to make the church appear like a political party. Ultimately, the dialogue between church and society is of central importance in order to actively address the challenges.

The AfD as a right-wing extremist movement

A crucial point in the current debate is the classification of the AfD by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a “confirmed right-wing extremist movement”. This is no coincidence; The state office evaluated numerous discriminatory statements made by AfD officials. Stephan Rether, in his previous role as head of the Catholic Office, emphasized that this classification was “appropriate and long overdue.” He also hoped that this clear message to the electorate would stimulate the necessary discussions, especially with a view to the upcoming elections next year.

According to current surveys, the AfD is already leading at the political level in Saxony-Anhalt. This is particularly worrying since the elections will not take place until 2026 and yet they are already spreading unrest. An important aspect is that many AfD supporters could interpret the classification as “victims of the system”, which could further strengthen their mobilization tactics.

Scientific analyzes and social dialogue

This makes the efforts of church institutions such as the Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), which deals intensively with the relationship between religiosity and political culture, seem all the more important. A study funded by the EKD analyzes how church communities deal with socio-political challenges and which prejudices are widespread in society. The study is entitled “Between charity and differentiation” and therefore offers valuable approaches for churches to counter right-wing populism and promote an inclusive culture of debate.

Overall, it is clear that the upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt represent not only a political but also an ethical dilemma for society. The church, whether Catholic or Protestant, sees itself as having a responsibility to raise its voice and advocate for a respectful and appreciative dialogue.

You can read more about the concerns of the Catholic Church in Saxony-Anhalt at domradio.de, contributed to the classification of the AfD as a right-wing extremist movement katholisch.de and contributed to the EKD study ekd.de.