German “Firewall” Against Far-Right Faces Growing Pressure

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German "Firewall" Against Far-Right Faces Growing Pressure

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Germany’s long-standing political “firewall,” a strategy of non-cooperation by mainstream parties against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), is facing increasing pressure and appears to be weakening. This informal norm was established to prevent extremist parties from gaining leverage in government and to protect the democratic system. However, recent developments suggest a shift in public and political sentiment.

A poll conducted by Infratest dimap in early August 2026 revealed that 59% of German voters favor abandoning the “firewall,” with 27% advocating for active cooperation with the AfD and 37% supporting case-by-case collaboration. This comes as the AfD has seen a significant rise in its popularity. In July 2026, opinion polls showed the AfD’s national support rate at 29%, exceeding the CDU/CSU. The party also achieved 20.8% of the vote in the 2025 federal elections, becoming the second-largest party in the Bundestag.

The AfD, founded in 2013, initially focused on Euroscepticism but shifted towards an anti-immigration platform, particularly after the 2015 refugee crisis. Its policies now include opposition to immigration, Islam, and the European Union. The party has capitalized on public dissatisfaction with the federal government’s performance, sluggish economic growth, and concerns about immigration.

The “firewall” has traditionally meant that mainstream parties, including the Christian Democrats (CDU), Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens, refuse to form coalitions with the AfD. However, the AfD’s growing electoral success, particularly in eastern German states like Saxony-Anhalt where it polled at 42% in an August 2026 survey, is creating a dilemma for other parties. While some mainstream politicians, like CDU leader Friedrich Merz, have strongly rejected cooperation, the increasing fragmentation of the political landscape could make forming stable governments without considering the AfD more challenging. Some research even suggests that adopting far-right themes by mainstream parties may inadvertently legitimize the AfD’s positions.

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