Overview
- Joschka Fischer told ARD’s Maischberger on Wednesday that the AfD’s turn toward nationalism risks undoing the post‑war trust other countries placed in Germany and could make reunification under past terms unlikely.
- Fischer said talk of building the region’s strongest conventional army and visible German rearmament raise historical fears among neighbors and that blunt rhetoric by leaders has increased that alarm.
- Fischer expressed scepticism that President Trump could be relied on to defend NATO members if a crisis occurred, saying a US pullback would force Europe to answer strategic gaps itself.
- On the same broadcast Denis Scheck urged serious consideration of a legal ban on the AfD because of documented Moscow links, while Jürgen Klinsmann argued athletes should avoid political messages at the World Cup.
- The comments — sparked by recent visits between Gerhard Schröder and Vladimir Putin and rising AfD polls — have not produced formal policy changes but have intensified pressure on Berlin to tackle party extremism, defence posture, and the government’s capacity for cross‑party economic reform.