From Posts to Polls: AfD Social Media Activity in east Germany and the Growing Dilemma of Coalition Politics

Authors: Jakob Guhl

Published: 29 August 2024

This report is available in German.

On 1 September 2024, state elections will be held in the two eastern German states of Thuringia and Saxony, followed by state elections in Brandenburg on 22 September. This report outlines the findings of an analysis of the 100 posts with most interactions by local Facebook pages belonging to the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in the lead-up to these elections. It identifies key themes and targets of popular AfD posts; it also discusses the ramifications of the party’s political entrenchment in eastern Germany and the risk that it could lead to unstable coalitions which may undermine trust in democracy.