Germany's Far-Right AfD Gains Popularity Amid Controversial Deportation Plan

Calls for Party Ban Intensify as Radical Member Björn Höcke Poised for Potential Leadership in Thuringia

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is gaining popularity, leading in polls in three eastern states and second in national polls.
Senior AfD figures and other far-right extremists met in November to discuss a plan for mass deportations of migrants, including German citizens of foreign origin who do not 'adapt to the majority society'.
AfD's leadership has distanced itself from the meeting but has not condemned those who attended.
The party's potential for radicalization has led to calls for its banning, although this could be legally difficult and potentially counterproductive.
Björn Höcke, a radical AfD member who has been legally described as a 'fascist', could potentially become the head of government in the state of Thuringia.