AfD and Orbán – a love affair

In September Christian Lüth, the press spokesman for the far right German parliamentary party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), declared their candidate for the Charlemagne Prize to be Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minister. The Charlemagne Prize is given for “Distinguished service on behalf of European unification.” How is it possible that the anti-Muslim, pro-Putin AfD party would give this European award to Mr. Orbán? (Read here about AfD’s praise of Orbán – in German.)

AfD supporters love Mr. Orbán.

AfD is currently the third largest party in the Bundestag (German Parliament) having won 94 seats in this year’s general election. In a short time a deep sympathy has developed between Orbán and AfD party officials with Beatrix von Storch being the loudest admirer of Mr. Orbán. Von Stroch served as deputy leader for the AFD, she is also a member of the Bundestag and a German nobility. She was born as Beatrix Amelie Ehrengard Eilika, Duchess of Oldenburg and should be addressed “Her Highness.” She has met with the Hungarian Prime Minister several times and even travelled to Budapest.

Mr. Orbán and Beatrix von Storch (AfD) are close friends.

Earlier, in a highly publicized racist remark von Stroch stated that German border control personnel had the right to shoot illegal migrants. Her family is also well-known in Germany for their past support of far-right ideology. Von Stroch’s grandfather on her mother’s side was a high ranking and unapologetic Nazi and also a prominent German nobleman. Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk served as Hitler’s finance minister and was convicted for war crimes.

Von Storch’s grandfather served time as a Nazi war criminal.

I was not surprised to learn that AfD sympathizers often carry pro-Orbán and pro-Putin signs at their rallies. The party’s program and philosophy fits well with Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party.

According to press reports, Orbán’s relationship is shaky (to say the least) with Germany’s ruling conservative CDU/CSU party coalition and Chancellor Angela Merkel avoids meeting him. Orbán also lost a powerful friend and mentor in Horst Seehofer of the Bavarian CSU party, who had to quit as premier to end a vicious power struggle within his party.

No doubt that Orbán is looking for new friends and political allies in Germany, and it seems that AfD is the perfect fit. I wouldn’t be surprised if we would hear more about the budding AfD-Fidesz friendship in the future.

György Lázár

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