Sonneberg after the AfD election: Silence before the storm of emotions!

Sonneberg after the AfD election: Silence before the storm of emotions!

in Sonneberg, the city, which caused a nationwide sensation two years ago by the election of Robert Schaellmann as the first AfD district administrator, there is a cautious mood these days. The AfD has now developed into the strongest political force in the city and district association, which triggers both enthusiasm and horror among the citizens: inside. While some accept the new political landscape, there is a lively countermovement, such as the group "Grandma's Against Right", which is actively involved in the right -wing conservative orientation of the party and organizes a "democratic test" to remember Settelmann's election. But how is the resident: inside since taking office?

according to reports from FOCUS shows the political atmosphere in Sonneberg as strongly polarized. Many residents avoid going discussions about the AfD for fear of conflicts. Margret, an activist, even reports about threats of murder and threats from a right mob. Political tensions are the order of the day: the CDU and the left work together in the “Sonneberg shows attitude” in the civil alliance to demonstrate against the AfD. Robert Eberth, a CDU representative, criticizes the negative climate in local politics, which was tightened by the presence of the AfD.

The effects of choice

The choice of Settelmann is perceived by many as a shock. Comments from citizens: Inside, like Abdull Abdullah, show that the expectations of changes after taking office were not met. "The conditions have remained the same," he complains, referring to a negative attitude towards the press. Christian Tanzmeier from the CDU also expresses his disappointment with the collaboration in the district council, especially with regard to post questions.
Surprisingly, there are hardly any negative effects on tourism, which some interpret as a sign that the turmoil around the AfD does not sit as deeply as originally suspected.

The AfD continues to enjoy high encouragement and achieved remarkable voting shares in different federal states in the last local elections. The party reached 28 % in Saxony-Anhalt and 26 % in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Thuringia, however, the seats remain behind the expectations. According to frisn.de, the AfD has so far not been able to get any posts in municipal stitch elections.

The historical development of the AfD

The AfD was founded in 2013 as a euro -critical party and quickly developed into a right -wing populist force. Initially more liberal-conservative, the course of the party changed at the latest from 2014, when the first significant election sequence was celebrated in East Germany. The bpb explains that internal party conflicts between moderate and radical forces shaped the development of the AfD. Ultimately, the influence of the right wing within the party was very important. Finally, the AfD, favored by the energy price crisis from 2022, recorded increasing survey values.

at a time when the variety of opinion and tolerance are more in demand than ever, the Situation in Sonneberg remains tense. The resistance to the AfD shows only sporadically, while some business people support the activists, but often do not relate to the party. Robert Eberth tried to react to polarization with humor and set a sign of the importance of freedom of expression. It remains to be seen how the political climate in this charged city will continue.