Far-Right Extremist Meeting Shakes Germany’s Political Landscape
In a shocking turn of events, Germany’s political landscape has been shaken by a meeting between senior figures in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and Martin Sellner, an Austrian extremist ideologue. The meeting, which took place at an elegant lakeside villa in Berlin, has scandalized Germany’s political class and sent the country’s media into a frenzy. This meeting signifies a potential radicalization of the AfD, a party that has gained significant support in recent years.
Sellner, a 35-year-old with a modest social media following, has been an influential figure on the far-right activist scene in German-speaking Europe for years. Despite facing condemnation, court cases, and government bans, his reach and influence have only grown. He believes that excessive cultural mixing is degrading societies and blames unchecked multiculturalism for many of Europe’s problems. His signature proposal is “remigration,” which calls for forcibly removing immigrants who break the law or refuse to integrate, regardless of their citizenship status. Critics argue that this amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Sellner’s rise to prominence began in his teenage years when he fell into neo-Nazism. However, he distanced himself from his crude Nazi sympathies and joined the Austrian Identitarian Movement, a far-right nationalist group heavily influenced by similar movements in France and Italy. The Identitarians gained media attention through stunts such as scaling the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to unfurl a banner calling for “secure borders.” Sellner’s careful choreography and use of left-wing protest techniques helped amplify their message.
Sellner’s influence reached new heights when he married Brittany Pettibone, an alt-right YouTube influencer from California. He also received a donation from the New Zealand white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, who carried out the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019. These events led to court proceedings against the Identitarians and a decline in their movement. However, Sellner capitalized on the COVID-19 pandemic by branching out into anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine messaging, aligning himself with the discourse of the AfD and the Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Austria.
Sellner’s recent meeting with senior AfD politicians and wealthy benefactors at the Landhaus Adlon has raised concerns about the party’s growing radicalization. While the AfD already champions aggressive measures to reduce immigration and supports the expulsion of convicted criminals, it has sought to distance itself from Sellner’s position. However, many observers note that Sellner’s language and concepts are seeping into the party’s program.
The fallout from the meeting has been significant, with rallies held across Germany to “march against fascism, old and new.” Calls to ban the AfD outright are now being made at the highest levels. The German media has been in a frenzy, and Sellner has used the attention to promote his works, including his book “Remigration – A Proposal.” The term “remigration” was even named the “non-word” of the year 2023 by a jury of German linguists, highlighting its use as a euphemism by right-wing parties.
Sellner’s ability to drive media frenzy and get his ideas noticed has been a key factor in his success. He has played a crucial role in modernizing far-right discourse and getting his terms, narratives, and framings into the public consciousness. While Sellner may seem like an unlikely threat to the German republic, his influence and the growing support for the AfD indicate a changing political landscape in Germany.
As Germany grapples with the implications of this far-right extremist meeting, it is clear that the country’s political consensus is being challenged. The rise of the AfD and figures like Martin Sellner raises important questions about the future direction of German politics and the potential for extremist ideologies to gain traction at the ballot box. The events of the past week have shattered the belief that far-right ideologies would never again become popular enough to succeed in Germany, forcing the country to confront its past and navigate a new and uncertain political landscape.