An Authoritarian Turn in Contemporary Germany? – In Conversation with Robin Celikates

The threat of the far-right dominates politics in Germany today. The ascendance of the AfD marks the first time since the end of World War II that such a force has attracted a considerable share of the German electorate. This regularly leads politicians from centrist parties to emphasizethe importance of preventing German history from repeating itself. However, these same actors have simultaneously brought far-right policies into the mainstream and adopted practices that resemble the playbook of autocrats. Suchpractices have been particularly visible in the repression of pro-Palestinian voices over the last two years. In recent articles, Prof. Robin Celikates has argued that these developments indicate an authoritarian turn in contemporaryGermany.

In part 1 of this podcast, Prof. Celikates discussed the German government’s repression of pro-Palestinian protests and voices, Germany’s broader protest culture, and the notion of Staatsräson.

The second part focuses on the role that the weaponization of antisemitism—or, as some have called it, “anti-antisemitism”—plays in fueling racism, real antisemitism, and underminingfreedom of expression. The discussion concludes with an analysis of whether contemporary Germany might be trending toward authoritarianism.