Why More Young Men in Germany Are Embracing the Far Right
On a chilly, foggy February evening in Freiberg, Saxony, a former mining town, 19-year-old Nick is playing darts with his friend Dominic, 30, in a small bar. With Germany’s national election just weeks away, the two express concerns about the country’s direction. Nick reflects on his parents’ experiences, saying, “They lived in peace and calm, without fear. I want to live in a country where I don’t have to be afraid either.”
Nick and Dominic are among the growing number of young Germans, particularly men, who are drawn to the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). The party, which has consistently polled second in Germany for over a year and a half, is gaining traction among younger voters. This trend mirrors a broader rise in far-right support across Europe, where issues like immigration, security, and cultural identity are driving the shift.
For Nick and many others, fear is a central theme. High-profile crimes involving asylum seekers, such as the fatal stabbing of a toddler and a man in Aschaffenburg, have fueled anxieties. While neither Nick nor Dominic opposes all immigration, they are critical of what they see as abuses of the asylum system. “People who integrate, learn, and work here—I have no problem with them,” Dominic says. “But these days, even saying that gets you labeled as a Nazi.”
The AfD, long accused of anti-migrant rhetoric, has gained momentum with endorsements from figures like Elon Musk, who hosted a live discussion with AfD leader Alice Weidel on his platform, X. As Germany braces for the election, the question looms: Why are so many young men turning to the far right, and what does this mean for a nation still grappling with its Nazi past?
Young Men Shifting Rightward
Recent Pew Research data from 2024 shows that 26% of German men view the AfD positively, compared to just 11% of women—a 10-point increase among men since 2022. In the 2024 European Parliament elections, exit polls revealed that 16% of Germans under 24, both male and female, voted for the AfD, up 11 points from 2019.
This shift coincides with rising anxiety among young people, according to a study by the German Institute for Generational Research. The study found that far-right-leaning respondents reported the highest levels of anxiety, while those in the political center reported the lowest. Women tended to worry about rights for minorities and themselves, while men were more concerned with preserving conservative values.
Dr. Rüdiger Maas of the Institute for Generational Research notes that left-leaning parties often focus on themes like feminism and equality, which don’t resonate as strongly with men. “Men don’t see themselves in these themes, which is why they tend to vote further right,” he explains.
The Role of Social Media
Social media platforms like TikTok have become powerful tools for far-right messaging, allowing groups like the AfD to bypass traditional media, which they view as hostile. Mauritius Dorn of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) notes that the AfD “dominates” TikTok compared to other German parties. The AfD’s parliamentary account boasts 539,000 followers, far surpassing the SPD’s 158,000.
Unofficial fan accounts also play a significant role in spreading the party’s content. Dorn’s research found that users with right-leaning profiles are exposed to far more AfD content than those on the left, who see a broader range of political material.
One prominent AfD influencer is Celina Brychcy, a 25-year-old TikTokker with over 167,000 followers. While she primarily shares lifestyle and dance videos, she also promotes AfD ideals, such as stricter border controls, the return of military service, and support for stay-at-home mothers. Brychcy denies being racist but believes some people “don’t fit in with us Germans.”
A Reaction to Cultural Shifts
For many young men, the far right’s appeal lies in its opposition to what they see as excessive progressivism. Tarik Abou-Chadi, a professor of European Politics at the University of Oxford, identifies a backlash against “gender ideology” as a key factor driving far-right support. A survey by the Institute for Generational Research found that AfD supporters were most likely to view LGBTQ+ trends as “exaggerated.”
Brychcy echoes this sentiment, stating that “biologically, we are men and women” and rejecting what she calls “role reversal” in gender norms. She acknowledges losing friends over her political views but insists the AfD represents genuine change, not extremism.
Normalizing the Far Right
As the horrors of Nazi Germany fade from living memory, the AfD has become a normalized presence in German politics. Since entering parliament in 2017, the party has worked to shed its extremist image, despite scandals like Björn Höcke’s use of a Nazi slogan, for which he was fined.
In Saxony, where the AfD is classified as a right-wing extremist group by authorities, the number of far-right individuals has reached a “new high,” according to the state’s domestic intelligence service. Yet, for many young voters, the AfD’s promises of security, border control, and national pride resonate deeply.
A Divided Generation
In schools and colleges, teachers like Diana Schwitalla are confronting troubling attitudes among students. Schwitalla, who teaches history and social studies, has heard students deny the Holocaust and describe Hitler as a “good man.” She notes a growing sense of disillusionment, with some students believing that “whoever is ‘up there’ will do what they want anyway.”
At a mock election organized by Schwitalla, the AfD came in second, reflecting Prof. Abou-Chadi’s observation that younger voters are more likely to support far-left or far-right parties than centrist ones.
A Seismic Shift?
The AfD’s rise is not merely a protest vote. Supporters like Nick, Dominic, and Celina genuinely believe the party can bring radical change. While other German parties refuse to form coalitions with the AfD, the far right’s influence is growing. In January, the AfD helped pass a non-binding motion in parliament for the first time, signaling its increasing legitimacy.
Prof. Abou-Chadi warns that if mainstream parties drop their “firewall” against the far right, it could lead to a seismic shift in European politics. “Far-right parties are likely to become the main party on the right in many countries—if they aren’t already,” he says.
As the AfD continues to normalize itself, its appeal among young men suggests that the far right’s influence in Germany—and across Europe—is far from fading.
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