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Sunday, July 6, 2025

Politics in Europe > AfD to lean a little less to the far-right; Rutte on magic mushrooms? - Medvedev

 

Germany’s AfD to soften stance on migrants — Bild

The right-wing party has reportedly axed talk of ‘remigration’ and ‘German guiding culture’ from its program to woo moderate voters
Germany’s AfD to soften stance on migrants — Bild











The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has softened its anti-immigration rhetoric in a bid to appeal to moderate voters and prove itself capable of forming a government down the road, the outlet Bild has claimed.

Founded back in 2013, the right-wing party has steadily gained in popularity amid the continuing migrant crisis in Germany. It finished second in the federal elections in February, winning 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag. In April, a survey by the pollster Forsa indicated that it enjoyed the support of 26% of respondents, ahead of all the other parties in Germany.

In an article on Saturday, Bild claimed to have seen a new seven-point policy paper that the AfD’s parliamentary group was expected to adopt that same day.

Conspicuously absent from the document are calls for the “remigration” of German residents with a migrant background, as well as an insistence on the “German guiding culture,” according to the outlet.

Bild claimed that the terms had specifically been axed from the party program in order to “reach more moderate voters,” and “appear capable of governing by the next federal election” in 2029. Aside from these purported changes, the AfD also reportedly intends to adopt a code of conduct for its lawmakers in the Bundestag.

The party’s interim goal is to gain ground in next year’s regional elections, Bild reported.

The media outlet claimed that the updated program calls for an end to asylum-granting to refugees at the border, tougher naturalization requirements and less social welfare for migrants.

The party also reportedly seeks to slash taxes, lift a self-imposed ban on the use of nuclear power plants, and restore the Nord Stream pipelines. The conduits, which used to carry Russian natural gas, were destroyed by a targeted underwater explosion in 2022. Berlin has since ruled out restoring them to operation.

According to Bild, the right-wingers want Germany’s foreign policy to be guided by the motto “Germany first,” which would presumably entail an end to weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the lifting of sanctions against Russia.

In a post on X on Sunday, the AfD Bundestag group revealed that its members had convened for a “closed meeting” over the weekend to set “political goals for the coming period.”

The party was declared a “confirmed right-wing extremist entity” by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency in May, only for the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) to suspend the label shortly thereafter.

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NATO chief ‘on magic mushrooms’ – Medvedev

The former Russian president has mocked Mark Rutte over his claim that China might ask Russia to attack the bloc’s European territory
NATO chief ‘on magic mushrooms’ – Medvedev











Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has mocked NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for suggesting that Beijing might ask Moscow to attack NATO territory in Europe as a diversion if China decides to make a move on Taiwan.

Rutte, speaking to the New York Times on Saturday, said Chinese President Xi Jinping may tell his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin: “I’m going to do this, and I need you to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.” He also urged stronger NATO defenses, warning that “if we don’t, we’ll have to learn Russian.” 

“SG Rutte has clearly gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch,” Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on X on Saturday. “He sees collusion between China & Russia over Taiwan, and then a Russian attack on Europe. But he’s right about one thing: he should learn Russian. It might come in handy in a Siberian camp,” Medvedev joked, hinting at the harsh conditions at the region’s remote prison camps.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan its own territory under its One China policy, has repeatedly demanded that the US and its allies stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. Washington, however, continues to supply weapons to Taiwan.

Russia supports the Chinese position, condemning Western arms sales and diplomatic visits to the island. Moscow has also repeatedly dismissed claims that it plans to attack NATO, calling such statements baseless and part of Western scaremongering.

The Kremlin has maintained that “these are simply attempts to create an artificial external enemy in order to justify such a militaristic line to militarize Europe.” Russian officials have also argued that European NATO countries are using the supposed Russia threat to deflect from their own domestic problems. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the “old horror story about the Russian bear” an easy excuse in light of economic stagnation and falling standards of living in Europe.

At its recent summit, NATO members discussed increasing defense spending targets to 5% of GDP, though no formal agreement was reached. Some European nations expressed concern that such a level would be a heavy financial burden, potentially straining domestic budgets and public support for defense policies.

Yeah, but it would make western war industry oligarchs sooooo filthy rich!!!

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