DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics Why Germany’s far-right AfD just founded a new youth wing
Dec 4, 2025
Hans Pfeifer, a veteran DW journalist with expertise on the AfD, and Matthew Moore, a correspondent with firsthand accounts from Gießen, dive into the rise of the AfD's new youth wing, 'Generation Germany.' They discuss the party's shift from anti-migration to more extremist ideologies and the strategic motivations behind establishing this youth group. The discussion includes the significant protests against the launch, the dynamics of journalist harassment, and the youth wing's role in grooming future leaders while masking troubling affiliations.
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New Youth Wing Is A Legal Shield
- The AfD created a new youth wing to legally shield it by folding it into the party structure under party law.
- This change aims to prevent an easy ban and to give the youth wing legal protection and acceptance.
Youth Group Under Intelligence Surveillance
- Intelligence services monitored the previous youth group for violating constitutional equality principles.
- The old youth organisation campaigned against migrants and questioned equal rights for Muslims and others.
Massive Protests And Heavy Policing In Gießen
- Matthew Moore describes the massive police operation and tens of thousands of counter-protesters in Gießen during the founding event.
- Police sealed off the meeting area and the event passed largely peacefully despite heavy tensions and delays.