{"id":615,"date":"2025-12-01T16:57:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/migration-reporting2025\/?p=615"},"modified":"2025-12-01T16:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:57:16","slug":"the-alluring-alternative-why-real-men-are-voting-for-the-afd-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/migration-reporting2025\/the-alluring-alternative-why-real-men-are-voting-for-the-afd-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The alluring Alternative; why \u201creal men\u201d are voting for the AfD"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christopher Tamm, 25, is an influencer for the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party. He defines \u2018real men\u2019 in his social media posts. Often wearing a MAGA hat or sporting his coiffed short cut with a sharp side part, Tamm and his social media account exudes a certain masculine aura far right groups hope to create in order to enlist similarly-minded young men to their causes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In July, Tamm posted a photo of himself sitting on a couch, reading a book titled \u201cRemigration,\u201d a term used by the far-right to express support for state sanctioned mass deportation for immigrants. In mid-September, Tamm is pictured at a vigil for Charlie Kirk and <\/span>Iryna Zarutska<\/span><\/a>, with the caption #whitelivesmatter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of Tamm\u2019s most popular posts, which has received over one million views, was published in late May. In this compilation video, several people introduce themselves with their pronouns including someone who describes themselves as a fox, followed by Tamm driving in sunglasses stating that he is \u201cmale, white, German.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Influencers like Tamm, who is in his mid twenties, have helped generate a new <\/span>wave<\/span><\/a> of AfD support primarily from young, white German men. For Tamm, he wears provocation as a badge of honor: \u201cI like to be the provocateur.\u201d Tamm approaches his social media posts like a \u201cbusiness\u201d with his videos making fun of left wing beliefs. \u201cIf you want to be successful, you have to do something that nobody is doing, and you have to find a niche that isn’t occupied. I found a niche with my provocative videos.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jasmine, who is a graduate student at Freie University in Berlin, noticed her younger brother has been pulled to the political right by his social media feed. Her brother, a 17-year-old who now lives in the US but was born in Germany, has been telling her that more deportations are needed and immigrants are going to \u201creplace us in the culture.\u201d She believes that social media algorithms can \u201cindoctrinate you into [an] anti-migrant racist.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She also explained how the AfD made refugees \u201cscapegoats\u201d for a wide range of problems, as the party advertised that \u201cif we stop the migrants coming in, then suddenly everything will be better.\u201d And far too many, she believes, fell for this promise that she considers a trap.<\/span><\/p>\n

The AfD party was formed in 2013 as a single-issue party in response to global financial crisis policies that provided bailouts for struggling countries. The AfD promoted beliefs of nationalism that have intensified over the years, with their focus shifting to immigration issues in 2015.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Syrian Civil War, the German government had opened its doors to refugees seeking asylum. Many families were driven from their homes, and the Assad government tortured many who did not support the authoritarian regime. Almost 300,000 Syrian refugees <\/span>entered<\/span><\/a> Germany in 2015, with an overall 46% migration increase from 2014. Amid this major immigration influx, the AfD shifted focus to anti-immigration politics and began dramatically increasing their party support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tamm resonates with key AfD messaging, specifically \u201cremigration.\u201d He feels that immigrants, especially Muslim practicing immigrants, do not belong in German society.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you’re somebody who wants to wear a hijab, you don’t fit into Germany.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though Germany does not recognize any specific religion, many women are discriminated against for wearing a hijab, and certain states have banned women from wearing hijabs in government, public education, and clerical positions. While Tamm believes a hijab is a symbol of female suppression, many Muslim women <\/span>disagree<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tamm also believes that immigrants should migrate to countries in which they are most culturally similar, and that leaving one\u2019s country due to hardship was \u201cweak.\u201d For many Syrians, however, Germany offered the greatest promise for opportunity and leaving Syria was not a matter of choice, as they faced torture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To recruit others to the AfD cause, Tamm has taken to posting images and short-form videos on social media. Along with several \u201cremigration\u201d posts and messages in support of the MAGA movement, Tamm also targets LGBT+ groups, as there is <\/span>mixed<\/span><\/a> LGBT+ sentiment within the party.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the US, the MAGA movement has been using similar strategies to attract younger male voters, and the Trump administration has similarly cracked down on illegal immigrants. It is unsurprising that the two groups have begun to show signs of unity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in early 2025, Vance spoke out against the firewall that had formed in Germany against the AfD, stating that it was challenging free speech in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, Deputy leader of the AfD Beatrix von Storch and AfD Politician from western Germany Joachim Paul had a <\/span>meeting<\/span><\/a> in September with representatives of the national security council, the vice president\u2019s office and the State Department. Most recently, German influencer and MAGA advisor <\/span>Alex Bruesewitz <\/span>visited<\/span><\/a> Berlin in early November and spoke with AfD leaders about their shared goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The spreading popularity of this movement was on full display following the assasination of social media influencer and far-right supporter Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, as protests and gatherings drew large crowds <\/span>across<\/span><\/a> the <\/span>country<\/span><\/a> and in <\/span>Europe<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Country leaders and officials have posted reactions to Kirk’s death, many of which are aligned with the far-right rhetoric. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n <\/span>described<\/span><\/a> the left as \u201chate mongering,\u201d <\/span>Santiago Abascal<\/span>, a Congressman in Spain, <\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a> that the left \u201cwanted this assasination,\u201d and Germany\u2019s Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD party, <\/span>posted<\/span><\/a> on X that \u201cliberal\u2019s hate the left\u2019s way of life.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am totally not surprised that a party like the AfD that’s still on its way up trying to take power, is going to try to learn everything it can from ideologues and activists in other countries who are singing from the same sheet of music,\u201d one former Foreign Service Officer in the Department of State told me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most recently, the US has started to <\/span>introduce<\/span><\/a> the \u201cremigration\u201d term that is already used throughout the European far-right group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though the growth of the far-right movement worldwide undoubtedly has numerous contributing factors, the AfD grew in tandem with the influx of immigrants. In this wave of Syrian immigrants that caused instability within German society, reporting points towards Russia as an instigator for European refugee immigration. In 2015, Russia\u2019s <\/span>involvement<\/span><\/a> in the Syria was seen by some as a strategy to destabilize European governments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were so many Syrians forced into European borders, essentially by collusion,\u201d one former Foreign Service Officer in the Department of State told me. \u201cPutin was trying to use forced migration as a tool to further undermine political stability in Europe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis pressure weakens left wing governments and strengthens the right wing populist movements.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has similarly caused high levels of asylum seekers in Europe, and continual <\/span>issues<\/span><\/a> involving Finland and Belarus raise further concerns about Russian interference in migration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Connections between Germany and Russia are of high concern for many in the government, especially with regard to the military. Last week, members of the Bundestag <\/span>accused<\/span><\/a> AfD politicians of leaking sensitive <\/span>defense information<\/span><\/a> to Russian intelligence. Plans for AfD officials to visit Russia has also <\/span>sparked<\/span><\/a> anger from other parties in government.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The AfD\u2019s position towards the Russia-Ukraine war is also mixed. Martin Kohler, creator of the youth wing for the AfD, told me that, \u201cMaybe it’s not the official position of my party, but \u2026 my opinion is that Zelensky is a bad president. There are many rumors about corruption.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Many former state department officials have told me that Germany is \u201csoft on Russia.\u201d When asked about the Ukraine war, Tamm said that \u201cwe have to clear the problems in our country, and then we can talk [about] what’s happening in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As support rises, many are alarmed about the implications of far-right and extremism politics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Josef Schuster, <\/span>President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany<\/span>, <\/span>spoke<\/span><\/a> about concerns for jewish Germans due to increased AfD support. In November, President <\/span>Frank-Walter Steinmeier <\/span>warned<\/span><\/a> about the dangers of extremism in a speech given on the anniversary of the Nazi Kristallnacht, hinting towards the AfD.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Antisemetic rhetoric was recently a major news story in the US when chats from a Young Republicans\u2019 group chat were <\/span>published<\/span><\/a>, causing major outrage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The AfD youth group, Young Alternative, was <\/span>dissolved<\/span><\/a> in 2024 due to mounting pressure to avoid broader implications for the AfD party as it faced a potential ban by the German government. Because this group was not directly under control of the AfD party leadership, AfD leaders immediately began pushing for a new group to form for younger audiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you want to become a major party in the future, you need the youth because the youth is the future,\u201d Martin Kohler, an AfD politician who played a key role in the creation of the Young Alternative, told me. \u201cIt’s much easier for young people to do politics with other young people, because different age groups have different priorities. You are the only young girl or young boy among people over 50, then it’s not that attractive for joining the party.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On Nov. 29, the AfD moved to officially create a new youth branch affiliated with the larger party in what became a weekend of mass protests against the far-right. <\/span>Reports<\/span><\/a> estimate that around 25,000 protesters took to the streets in various locations, attempting to delay the meeting in which AfD politicians would formalize the youth group.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGeneration Germany,\u201d as it will now be called, is the name of the youth organization. Over the weekend, AfD party member Alexander Eichwald gave a speech at the founding meeting. The Jerusalem Post <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> that the speech was \u201cHitler-like,\u201d and encouraged a devotion towards Germany.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Tamm serves as a member of the district council in Prignitz with the AfD, and hopes to continue his career in politics. He was <\/span>quoted<\/span><\/a> in a New York Times article at an AfD protest, telling a supporter who had his arm in a Hitler salute to \u201ckeep your arm up like this a little bit longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just a note about this draft, when writing I was really struggling to figure out what additional content should be added. I know the story now is far from the proper word count, and I am still trying to think of additional ways to add new reporting. I also have lots of other interviews that were done for this article but don’t quite fit I’m afraid.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christopher Tamm, 25, is an influencer for the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party. He defines \u2018real men\u2019 in his social media posts. Often wearing a MAGA hat or sporting his coiffed short cut with a sharp side part, Tamm and his social media account exudes a certain masculine aura far right groups hope to<\/p>\n

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