In an essay published in Foreign Policy, analyst Thorsten Benner contends that Germany's political establishment has inadvertently strengthened the AfD through its policy of political and social isolation. Benner argues that the so-called Brandmauer (firewall) — a cross-party agreement to deny the AfD any coalition partnerships, committee chairs, or other forms of institutional legitimacy — has provided the party with a potent grievance narrative that resonates with disillusioned voters.
"By treating the AfD as a pariah, mainstream parties have handed it a perfect recruitment tool," Benner writes. "Every rejection fuels its claim to be the true voice of the people against a corrupt elite."
The AfD has surged in recent state and federal elections, particularly in eastern Germany, where it has become the strongest party in several Länder. Its success has forced a painful national debate about how to confront a party that contains both moderate and explicitly extremist wings, some of which are under surveillance by domestic intelligence as a suspected threat to the constitution.
Proponents of the firewall, including leaders from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens, maintain that the policy remains essential. They argue that any cooperation with the AfD would normalize a party whose leaders have made statements downplaying Nazi crimes, called for mass deportations, and used language that courts have ruled as inciting hatred. "The firewall is not the problem — the AfD's extremism is," a senior CDU official told Zotpaper on condition of anonymity.
Critics of the firewall, however, point to rising social tensions and democratic fatigue, suggesting that ostracism alone cannot address the underlying causes of right-wing populism, such as economic insecurity, migration-related anxieties, and a perceived erosion of cultural identity. Some even warn that the strategy risks pushing more moderate AfD voters toward the party's radical flank.
Benner's essay adds to a growing body of literature questioning the efficacy of political cordons sanitaires. Similar debates have occurred in France, where the front républicain against the National Rally has shown signs of fraying. As Germany approaches its next federal election, the question of how to handle the AfD is likely to remain one of the most divisive issues in the country's political landscape.