Internalised misogyny and racism: How the Far-Right is winning female votes in the upcoming election in Germany
By Anna-Katharina Priesterath, News Editor
The far-right is taking over worldwide. Far-right parties and politicians - characterised by nationalism, racism, xenophobia, the call for a strong state, and an anti-democratic attitude - are gaining popularity and power in countries such as Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Turkey, and the USA. The upcoming election in Germany on February 23rd could result in the most power the far-right had in Germany since the 1930s. The historical demographic of far-right voters has been men. We have also seen a rise in female far-right voters. Here is why.
In 1918, just over a century ago, women in Germany attained the right to vote. Since then, not only have they been able to vote but have also been able to participate actively in politics. Following on from former-chancellor Angela Merkel, the upcoming election leaves the possibility for the second-ever female chancellor in Germany’s history. Merkel, who recently published her autobiography, entitled Freedom has been a people’s favorite for years. On the contrary, the new female chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel, has sparked controversy, to say the least.
Current Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) lost the confidence vote in parliament which ultimately resulted in earlier elections then planned. He is standing as his party's chancellor candidate again. Overall, he has lost a lot of support during his candidature. The other chancellor candidates consist of Robert Habeck (Green Party), Friedrich Merz (CDU), and Alice Weidel (AfD). Statistics show that there are more women than men eligible to vote in Germany (source: BPB). Therefore, it is important to look at not only how parties are targeting potential voters, but especially those of the female demographic. Merz is extremely unpopular among female voters, following several public statements that suggested women are not capable of playing leading roles in politics and should return to more domestic roles (source: Handelsblatt). However, recent polls show that Merz is leading the race. In second place is Alice Weidel, member of the Alternative for Germany, the party that has been investigated for fascism (source: Tagesschau). Alice Weidel, the only female chancellor candidate in this year's election, has made headlines of many sorts. The AfD has a very clear agenda: no immigration, returning to ‘traditional’ family structures, Dexit (Germany leaving the EU), and returning to nuclear powers. Weidel, who is married to a Sri Lankan woman, is proof that almost anything is possible in politics. Paradoxes like hers are nothing new. After all, the number of women supporting the AfD is rising as well, even though this party is aiming to deconstruct a lot of what feminism has fought for in past decades.
The rise of the alt-right has been concerning for many. The trending of ‘tradwives’ on TikTok (right-wing women embracing gender roles from the 1950s), the funding and support of the far-right by billionaires, and growing censorship is enabling more. In the past weeks, certain events have given way to much anxiety for the future. Billionaires that are taking on political careers, the ban and sudden reanimation of TikTok in the United States, Musk doing anti semitic salutes, and so much uncertainty are taking place, yet as voting polls are showing in Germany and other countries, the far-right are gaining followers, including female voters. The AfD has a very specific view of the role of women in society. They want to increase the birthrate of children in Germany through reinforcing oppressive gender roles; that women should not aim for careers outside the kitchen. One of their election posters in 2017 reads: ‘New Germans? We can create them ourselves.’ The party opposes feminism. Women in the AfD declare in interviews that there is no gender-based discrimination, ignoring the fact that Germany has the biggest gender pay gap in Europe with 18% (source: Statistisches Bundesamt, 2023).
The AfD aims to regress feminism by several decades. It has not gone unnoticed that their terminology is an exact copy of Nazi times. Weidel, following Trump in having a video call with Elon Musk on X, called the German government ‘green-washed’ and even described Hitler as a communist (source: Tagesschau, 2025) in their conversation.
Despite the many problematic public statements, their racist and sexist election program, and the many controversies surrounding the party, the AfD is runner up in pre-election polls and likely to win more votes than ever before in this election. But how does one explain the rise of women being actively involved in far-right politics and female voters supporting the far-right?
Far-right parties such as the AfD are using immigration as a central topic in their debates and election campaigns. By pinpointing immigrant men, or in the case of the AfD any non-White men, as the enemy, the ‘rapist’, they create a common enemy. The party builds on hate. Cases of harassment, gender-based violence, and even femicides have been gaining more media coverage. Gender-based violence incidents in Germany are increasing in numbers and according to UN Women, a femicide takes place almost every day in Germany. Every four minutes a woman in Germany will experience gender-based violence through an (ex-) partner. 100% of forced sex workers are women (source: UN Women, 2023). The numbers are shocking. Instead of stating the obvious: the number of men assaulting women in Germany is increasing, the AfD is only talking about men of color despite statistics that show how around 60-70% of gender-based violence is committed by white German men (source: PKS, 2022). The fear resulting from being a possible victim of gender-based violence is being translated into racist accusations.
The AfD is using women’s fear to fuel their popularity. By promising a better, safer environment, many women may be prompted to shift their political beliefs. Additionally, for many, the AfD is a party that is relatively new compared to others, and the opposite of the existing governmental structures in the past. While Weidel denies any ties to the neo-Nazi scene today or reoccurring structures from nazi times, she also not only uses Nazi terminology but also copies Hitler’s public speaking characteristics. Musk, who she is an outspoken fan of, doing the Hitler salute to a crowd at Trump’s inauguration is not only highly problematic by itself but also in connection to him endorsing the party online. Economic crisis, inflation, and wars are all weaponized topics used by the far-right to gain votes. The promise of higher wages, less taxes, and overall, a more stable economy is blinding many. The appeal of the far-right to young male voters builds on insecurities. Women are more encouraged than ever to take up space, patriarchy and gender roles are being challenged. The source of masculinity and power for many young men is, as they feel, taken away from them. While the patriarchy harms all and is unable to ever provide a healthy version of masculinity to anybody, far-right parties are using this shift in society in their favor. Research shows that this phenomenon results in more young men voting for the far-right (Bristol University Press, 2024).
Along with their anti-immigration policy, which would not only affect many of their voters but also party members themselves, the AfD preys upon internalised misogyny to get women on board with their politics. Internalised misogyny has created a gap between feminists and anti-feminist women for as long as feminist beliefs have been around. The AfD is anti-feminist, declaring feminism as a type of ‘cancer’ (source: ZDF, 2024). Women, especially the ones bound to traditional gender roles (and often without realizing that it is their choice) see feminist, gender theories, and anything outside their bubble as harmful. This can be seen in the women at Trump rallies who were asked why they voted for him who responded that women are incapable of leadership positions due to being too emotional. The AfD is promising women a future in the household, fulfilling the roles of mothers and wives, and reassuring their voters that this will fulfill them. The AfD claims that patriarchal structures have been prominent for the past centuries and deconstructing this system, keeping in mind that the AfD, just like other far-right parties is predominantly male, would cause harm to all.
Finally, Weidel being a woman for many is reason enough to argue against the fact that the far-right is for oppressing women, etc. However, after reading their election program, interviews, and hearing Weidel speak on behalf of the AfD, voting for her only because she is a woman is unreasonable.
Many German citizens are frustrated, angry, scared, or all of the previous mentioned. While far-right propaganda speaks to many, it is crucial to do your research and inform yourself on what a party stands for, what goals and ambitions they have, and how they have acted in the past.
Editor’s note: And to all my fellow Germans, I hope you will use your vote. You can register to vote via mail, or you can vote in person. The future lies in your hands. Every vote counts.
