A friend and I were talking about how things feel different lately. Maybe it’s just that I’ve been in Germany for a few years now, so I’m noticing more. Or maybe… I don’t know. But something just feels unsettling.
The headlines, the attacks, the political shifts; they seem to be coming faster, louder, and with more intensity than before. With elections just around the corner, the air feels heavy. Tense.
Then, the Munich attack happened.
A 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker drove his car into a crowd during a trade union demonstration in central Munich, injuring at least 36 people, including children. Witnesses described it as a peaceful protest until it turned into chaos… screams, bodies on the ground, confusion everywhere.
My goodness…I can’t begin to imagine.
And just like that, another violent incident. Another political storm. Another round of frustration.
In response, the Political leaders didn’t mince words. Chancellor Olaf Scholz was blunt.
“This attacker cannot count on any leniency. He must be punished, and he must leave the country.”
Friedrich Merz of the CDU leaned heavily into security:
“Everyone in our country must feel safe again. Something has to change in Germany.”
Robert Habeck from the Green Party reiterated similar concerns:
“There is no doubt we need a major security offensive.”
The AfD?
They seized the moment.
Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, didn’t hold back:
“Under the AfD, this attacker wouldn’t have been here in the first place.”
Indeed a bold statement that resonates with a growing number of frustrated voters. And for many Germans watching and reacting online, it struck a nerve.
Scrolling through the comments, I saw outrage. Anger.
But one stuck with me:
“To be honest, if this keeps happening, the AfD will win.”
Not from a right-wing extremist. Not from someone with a party flag in their profile picture. It was just a frustrated citizen, tired of the situation, worried about safety, and convinced that the current system isn’t working.
And that’s the thing… the more these attacks happen, the stronger the AfD’s position becomes.
For immigrants in Germany, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The AfD has been clear… they want stricter immigration policies, more deportations, and tighter borders. So, every attack involving an asylum seeker or a migrant doesn’t just stir outrage; it strengthens their argument.
This isn’t just about one incident in Munich. Or in Aschaffenburg. Or Magdeburg. Or Solingen. It’s about a larger narrative that’s building.
And the consequences?
Harsher asylum policies. Tighter border controls. More public hostility.
So, at the end of the day, It’s not just about policies anymore; it’s about perception. About how immigrants move through daily life. About whether they feel safe in a country that, for many, has become home.
With each attack, the balance shifts a little more. People are afraid. People are frustrated. People are looking for change.
And the AfD?
They’re offering change (not the kind that benefits immigrants, of course). The elections will be a test. A test of whether fear will shape policy. A test of what kind of future immigrants can expect.
Because if these attacks keep happening, the AfD isn’t just knocking on the door anymore.
They might just walk right in. Or, at the very least, their rhetoric will.
