Overview
- Kulturstaatsminister Wolfram Weimer said on Friday in an interview with Der Spiegel that fighting the Alternative für Deutschland is his 'politisches Hauptziel' and that he sees a Kulturkampf against the party as necessary.
- Weimer described the AfD's tactics as destructive and polarising and warned its rise has taken on a 'republic-changing' character that must be resisted to keep the party from gaining power.
- He pledged concrete cultural opposition, saying he would personally 'defend Christmas' if the AfD tried to replace Christian holidays with 'germanic' festivals, and he signalled the use of funding and symbolic sites to block the party's influence.
- Weimer predicted the AfD could 'collapse like a soufflé' within this legislative period but said that outcome depends on successful reform policy and an economic upturn to reduce voter protest support.
- The comments come with polls showing the AfD far ahead in parts of eastern Germany and before state votes in Sachsen-Anhalt on September 6 and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on September 20, while several Landesverfassungsschutz offices have flagged elements of the party as right-wing extremist and media outlets covered the interview with differing tones.