Quelques jours avant les élections allemandes du 23 février 2025

À Karlsruhe, l’extrême droite distribue des imitations parfaites de billets d’avion destinées, pour un voyage sans retour, aux migrants irréguliers ou « mal intégrés » vivant dans la cité. Une nouvelle abomination de la part du parti soutenu par Elon Musk dans le cadre des élections législatives qui se tiendront en Allemagne le 23 février.

https://afreeretriever.wordpress.com/2025/02/17/germanys-early-election-campaign-a-dispute-over-competence-in-racism-and-inhumanity/#more-7247

Traduction d'un article du GIK (tendance communiste internationaliste), par Free retriever (H.C.)

Introduction de HC, traduite en français, 17 février 2025:

Le jour même où les élections présidentielles américaines ont abouti à la victoire de Trump pour un second mandat à la Maison Blanche, le gouvernement de coalition entre le SPD, le FDP et les Verts, en Allemagne, a finalement capoté, donnant lieu à des élections législatives anticipées le 23 février et à la perspective d'un virage « à droite », notamment par le renforcement de l'AfD, parti d'extrême droite.

Auparavant, de vastes manifestations de rue avaient éclaté dans tout le pays contre l'extrémisme politique et le racisme, en particulier contre les tendances anti-immigrés et anti-réfugiés, « pour la défense de la démocratie », alors qu'une conférence secrète sur les projets d'expulsion des migrants avait été révélée au public, sans toutefois empêcher l'AfD d'obtenir des gains électoraux importants dans les Länder de Saxe, de Saxe-Anhalt et de Thuringe l'automne dernier.

Ainsi, le terrain était déjà préparé pour la campagne électorale pour le Parlement fédéral lorsque l'attaque meurtrière à la voiture bélier du 20 décembre sur un marché de Noël de Magdebourg, commise par un immigrant saoudien (qui semblait avoir des antécédents notoires (harcèlement et intimidation), a attisé les flammes du racisme et de la xénophobie et a donné lieu à une instrumentalisation s'exprimant dans des tribunes politiques de l'administration allemande et de ses contestataires qui est inacceptable.

La déclaration suivante des membres de la TCI en Allemagne (le « GIK ») vise à démasquer les manœuvres qui se cachent derrière la démagogie des campagnes de division raciste, et met en évidence les enjeux de la lutte des salariés, indépendamment quelle que soit leur origine ethnique, religieuse ou nationale, contre les attaques en préparation contre leurs conditions de vie.

Cette déclaration est complétée par neuf thèses sur la « Lutte contre la droite » qui ont déjà été formulées face aux mobilisations anti-droite de l'année dernière.

H.C., 17 février 2025.

Germany’s Early-Election Campaign: A Dispute over Competence in Racism and Inhumanity

Posted on February 17, 2025 by A Free Retriever

On the same day as the US presidential elections resulted in Trump’s win of a second turn in the White House, the long ailing coalition government of SPD, FDP and the Green party in Germany was finally terminated, giving rise to early parliamentary elections on February 23, and the perspective of a “rightist” turn, notably by strengthening the right-wing extremist AfD at the federal level.

Previously, broad street demonstrations throughout the country against political extremism and racism, in particular against anti-immigration and anti-refugee tendencies “in defence of democracy” had emerged, as a secretive conference on deportation plans of migrants had been publicly revealed – however without preventing significant electoral gains of the AfD in the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia last autumn.

So, the stage for the electoral campaign for the Bundestag had already been prepared as the murderous car attack of December 20 on a Christmas market at Magdeburg, committed by a Saudi immigrant (who appeared to have a notorious track record of harassment and intimidation), fanned the flames of racism and xenophobia and gave rise to an instrumentalisation of the political tribunes of German officialdom and its contesters that is beyond the pale.

The following statement by the ICT’s affiliates in Germany (the ‘GIK’) aims at unmasking the manoeuvring that lies behind the demagoguery of racist division campaigns, and points at the stakes of the struggle of the wage earners, regardless of their ethnical, religious or national background, against the attacks on their living conditions in full preparation.

This statement is complemented by nine Theses on the “Struggle Against the Right” that have already been formulated in face of the anti-right mobilisations last year.

H.C., February 17, 2025.

A Dispute over Competence in Racism and Inhumanity

A “winter election campaign” under the banner of Donald Trump, which is increasingly overshadowed by a toxic discourse on migration, which is now declared to be the cause of all social upheaval. The jargon of bourgeois democracy is taking on more and more nationalistic traits, as can be seen on the lampposts: “For a country that we can be proud of again” (CDU) or “More for you. Better for Germany” (SPD) are the slogans. The FDP concludes that “good will” must also “set limits” to migration. The AfD puts this logic more directly: “Consistently deport!” (¹)

It was foreseeable that in this social climate, the horrific attacks in Magdeburg and Aschaffenburg would be abused for election campaign manoeuvrers and racistically exploited. Immediately after the bloody attack in Aschaffenburg, CDU top candidate Friedrich Merz declared in classic Donald Trump style that he would “permanently control” the borders “from the first day” as Chancellor and would reject “all attempts at illegal entry without exception”. The rejection “also expressly applies to people with a right to protection”. (sic!) Merz declared these demands to be “non-negotiable” and a coalition condition for forming a government after the election. In order to signal determination and drive in this regard, Merz and the Union leaders decided to go “all in” and to submit corresponding motions and a draft law to the Bundestag before the election date “regardless of which partner”. What followed is well known. As expected, the motion for a resolution entitled “Five-point plan for migration policy” submitted by the Christian Democratic Union also received the support of the AfD and thus a majority. Two days later, the draft of an “influx limitation law” supported by the CDU, AfD, FDP and BSW failed only narrowly. Nevertheless, it was the first time that a motion received a majority with the votes of the AfD. Consequently, the AfD was visibly over the moon: “Something new is beginning now and we are leading it”, rejoiced the AfD’s parliamentary manager Bernd Baumann.

The Firewall and the Hypocrisy of the “Democratic Centre”

This process caused horror among large parts of the population. The churches wrote an open letter, former Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly reprimanded Friedrich Merz’s actions, and tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the country. The joint pact between the CDU, FDP, BSW and the AfD broke another parliamentary taboo and finally tore down the so-called “firewall to the AfD”. However, this was already as rotten as a German picket fence. We wrote about this a year ago:

“The oft-invoked “firewall against the right” reveals itself in this way to be a self-litigating contradiction. While they position themselves rhetorically against the AfD, asylum laws are being tightened further, the police and security apparatus expanded, and thus the central points of the AfD’s programme implemented. The most cynical politicians justify this by claiming to hope that this will “demystify” the AfD and steal their wind from their sails. But in fact, the AfD have only grown in favour and strength. Now as ever they find themselves in the exceptionally comfortable position of being able to increase and escalate their demands, and to present themselves as a particularly consistent representative of an authoritative solution to the crisis”.  (²)

A process that is now continuing at a new level. The criticism of the so-called “democratic centre” of the CDU’s proposals never related to its misanthropic content, but to the procedure. At most, legal concerns were expressed about the implementation and warnings were given against “national solo efforts”. Above all, however, it was complained that the CDU could destroy the ‘democratic centre’ by making a joint pact with the AfD.

But who is the ‘democratic centre’ that is now eloquently acting as an anti-fascist defence of the ‘firewall’? They are the same characters who declared just a year ago: “We must finally deport people on a large scale”. (Olaf Scholz, SPD, the incumbent chancellor vying for a new mandate) They are the same people who have introduced the toughest measures and laws against refugees in recent years and have undermined the right to asylum. A policy that they even expressly boast about. “We are the only country in Europe that has managed to deport criminals to Afghanistan in recent years”, explained Olaf Scholz. “If that works once, it must happen much more often”, rejoiced the AfD, thereby further fuelling the racist competition to outdo each other. And so it was hardly surprising that Robert Habeck followed up for the Greens with a “10-point plan”. It aims at an “enforcement offensive” with a “focus on Islamists and violent criminals”, an “effective containment of migration at Germany’s external borders” and “drastically accelerated asylum procedures”. The AfD may mock the fact that this was copied from it. But it knows very well that it has the edge in the current dispute over competence when it comes to racism.

The Agony of German Capitalism

The collapse of the “traffic light coalition government” (³) on the day of the “Trump shock” (November 5, 2024) was almost symbolic of the crisis-prone nature of German capitalism. The so-called “traffic light coalition” went down in history as one of the most unpopular governments. Many blame it for the current misery. At the same time, hopes are very cautious that a CDU government would do better. This may have been a motivation for Friedrich Merz to openly play the racist card in order to gain air supremacy in the election campaign. But the problems go deeper. The implications of the Ukraine war have set German capitalism back strategically and economically. New military and energy dependencies have emerged. This is particularly true of relations with the USA. At the same time, cutting off from the Chinese markets, where the air is already thinning, would be catastrophic for the export-dependent German economy. All of this has driven deep rifts in the camp of the German bourgeoisie. Added to this is the Trump factor, which is generally regarded as unpredictable. An impending escalation of the dispute over import tariffs or even a trade war with the USA would have further unforeseeable consequences for the German economy. For German capital, the only way out of this dilemma is massive rearmament and tough social cuts. The so-called 100 billion special fund for the Bundeswehr  (⁴) is just a foretaste of everything that is to come. It is obvious who will pay the costs of the forced rearmament. The agitation against people receiving citizen’s allowance or the demand for the cancellation of paid sick leave days speak a clear language. They are harbingers of further harsh attacks on wages, pensions and social benefits. 14 million people in Germany are already affected by poverty (almost 3 million more than in 2006). The costs of housing, heating and food have risen rapidly. At the same time, net spending on social assistance has fallen by almost half. In 2019 it was still at 32.82 billion euros. In 2022, it was only 17.63 billion euros. This is in contrast to the huge profits of armaments companies. Rheinmetall, for example, was able to secure orders worth 52 billion in 2024. An increase of 48%!

Against this background, it is only logical for those in power to play up the “migration issue”, to stir up racist sentiment and to blame refugees and migrants as scapegoats for social misery. It’s the same old game. Racism is not just a prejudice or a moral obscenity, but an organizational principle of capitalist society. This system is based on wage earners seeing themselves as competitors for jobs, social benefits and housing. Racism is fed by the idea that the cup can pass you by if you kick those below you and if it’s others who have to tighten their belts. On this basis, the idea that “migration” is responsible for dilapidated infrastructure, a lack of housing and jobs can continue to spread. As long as this is not addressed and it is not made clear in social and political debates that the cause of all crises is the system itself, the racist right will continue to score points.

Against Racist Division: Don’t Vote, Fight!

Capitalism’s pursuit of competition and profit is causing devastating destruction around the world. Climate change and environmental destruction, famines and increasingly brutal wars are leading to the flight and displacement of millions of people. In the face of these global problems, the programs up for election have nothing to offer other than the reactionary concept of national isolation. It is a call to attack the weakest in order to perpetuate exploitation. Those who are forced to sell their labour force every day under increasingly precarious conditions cannot have any interest in tightening migration laws, which are solely aimed at dividing us. Without an uncompromising defence and organization of refugees and migrants, a successful fight for higher wages, affordable housing, better education and health care and against the unleashed warmongering will not be possible. Advocating such an internationalist standpoint may be anything but popular under current conditions. But it is a basic requirement for the creation of class unity in order to be able to survive the upcoming social conflicts. This perspective is of course not on any ballot paper. Nor can it be introduced in the Bundestag as a motion for a resolution or draft law. It can only take shape through solidarity-based, independent action. The rising authoritarianism reflected in the election manifestos relies on incitement and manipulation. The “will of the voters” formed in this way is seen as a knock-out argument to further divide, drive forward rearmament and social cuts and drive us into wars. Bourgeois parliamentarism conveys the illusion that others are acting for us or making politics in our interests, and thus cultivates conformity and a spirit of subservience. It is a deception to believe that we can bring about change or prevent the worst with the ballot paper. We will only be able to defend our vital interests as wage earners ourselves. Together, self-organized and in solidarity! Say no to the racist agitators! Fight back against wage cuts, rising rents and warmongering! Organize at work and in your neighbourhoods!

Don’t vote, fight!

GIK, affiliate in Germany of the ICT, February 10, 2025

Translation and annotations by H.C., February 2025.

Notes:

1 We recommend reading the ICT’s assessment of the perspectives of Trump’s second term as president of the USA apropos of the latter’s inauguration last January: Trump and “the New Golden Age” (Published on February 9, 2025) (editor’s note)

2 GIK, February 11, 2024: Not Just Against the AfD! – Nine Theses on the “Struggle Against the Right” (included below). Here quoted is thesis 4 (editor’s note).

3 Popular designation of the coalition government of SPD (“red”), FDP (“yellow”) and the Green Party that resulted from the September 2021 parliamentary election. (editor’s note).

4 This “special fund” for military and armament expenses, due to the policy turnabout enforced upon the German state through the war in Ukraine, comes down to contracting extra loans, and was devised to circumvent the constitutional limitation on the German state’s debts due to exceptional circumstances dubbed as “Zeitenwende”: an historical turning point. (editor’s note).