Scrapbook for January

05.01.2025 – The AfD: out of the shadows and into the light

The forthcoming discussion between Elon Musk and Alice Weidel of the AfD on Musk's X/spaces platform (9. January, 19:00) could very well turn out to be a game changer in German politics. In my opinion, as a communicator Weidel is on a par with J. D. Vance in her ability to formulate arguments, stay on message and swat away interference – and that is high praise indeed.

To see the great significance of this social media broadcast let us recall the way Trump's immensely successful presidential campaign pushed the fading mainstream media onto the sidelines and addressed voters directly through clever social media management. On social media, the Trump campaign showed its humane and human, but above all entertaining face to a huge number of Americans, many young, many first-time voters. The Trump messaging got through and did the job, there is no doubt about that.

For the Trump campaign there was no downside to sidestepping the mainstream media, since it had, with a few notable exceptions, acted as the cheerleader for the Democrats.

For the AfD, Musk's support and the upcoming global discussion with Weidel, which will possibly attract millions of views, will at a stroke bring the hitherto pariah AfD upstart front and centre into the limelight.

Our readers aquainted with the German mainstream media will be able to attest that since its formation, the AfD has not been allowed to make a scratch on the smooth surface of 'offical' German political media. AfD Members of Parliament have given some cracking speeches in Parliament – you may stumble across these on the non-conformist websites and podcasts – but in the mainstream media they go largely unreported. In most TV and radio discussions, an AfD representative is absent. When the media cannot avoid mentioning the AfD, the handy terms 'far-right' and 'extreme-right' ensure that readers don't go getting wrong ideas about these brownshirts.

Suddenly, therefore, the AfD was brought out of the shadows by Musk's supportive article in Welt am Sonntag and, on 9 January, it will really hit the bigtime. For even more fun, just picture the bigwigs of German politics and media chewing their knuckles in rage and envy as Ms Weidel shows them how it's done in the new social media age.