While the AfD has been celebrating election gains — it is on the verge of becoming Germany's third-strongest political force, according to recent polls — it has been battling the label of an extremist party over its anti-Islam stance and a number of controversies surrounding some of its members.
Last week, it came under renewed criticism for providing a home to politicians who support far-right ideologies.
Kay Nerstheimer, an AfD candidate for Berlin's state parliament, reportedly called Syrian refugees "disgusting worms" on his Facebook page and was once a member of the far-right German Defense League. Meanwhile, magazine Stern reported that local AfD politician Rudolf Mueller had been selling banned Nazi paraphernalia at his antique shop in the state of Saarland. [...]
Under its slogan "courage for the truth," the AfD has been able to mobilize disaffected non-voters, swing voters and people who "no longer feel represented by the long-established parties in Germany," Patzelt explained.
Merkel's Christian Democrats have neglected to integrate right-wing conservatives into their party, leaving many voters "politically homeless," Patzelt said. [...]
The historic city of Dresden has already experienced an economic set-back, blamed partly on massive anti-Islam and anti-foreigner PEGIDA demonstrations that have shaken the baroque tourist destination. According to CNBC, domestic visitor numbers were down 3.7 percent year on year in the period of January to July 2016, based on overnight stays in the city.
"The xenophobic remarks and incidents damaged the good reputation of the city and especially impacted domestic travel behavior," Bettina Bunge, head of Dresden Marketing, DMG, said in a statement.
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