00:00German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is under growing pressure to win back voters as the far-right alternative for Germany, or
00:08AFD, gains support.
00:10Dr Ed Turner of Aston University says Merz faces a tough balancing act, tightening immigration policies without alienating coalition partners.
00:21So there's a real question about whether mainstream parties like Merz's Christian Democrats, for example, should put more emphasis on
00:30immigration, because if they do, it might just mean people talk about it more.
00:34But actually, that may in the end help the AFD. So maybe they want to focus on their own issues,
00:39which they're better on, rather than on the other side's issues.
00:42I mean, I think that's one issue. The other is just around delivery, that a lot of this is about
00:47Germans feeling dissatisfied with their everyday lives.
00:50And so just testing government policies, thinking about will the impact be felt in a positive way by people on
00:56the ground, and what can we do to speed up them feeling that impact?
01:00Turner says there are also growing doubts within Merz's own party and coalition over whether he is fit for the
01:06job.
01:07There are a great number of his own MPs, as well as those in his coalition partner, who are really
01:14questioning whether he's up to the job.
01:15He's had some terrible state election results, for example, earlier this year in Baden-Württemberg as well.
01:24His party won in Rhineland-Palatinas, but then he had an argument with the state party there and was actually
01:32told not to attend one of their meetings.
01:33They were so cross with him after he sacked the brother of the election winner in that state as a
01:41minister.
01:42While Merz contends with divisions within his own ranks, Turner says AFD has been building stronger connections with voters, particularly
01:50in Eastern Germany.
01:52Why is the AFD doing well?
01:54Well, partly there are voters looking for, I suppose, that right-wing agenda which it offers, in particular, I think,
02:01on topics around immigration, but also maybe quite conservative cultural values.
02:06So that's part of it. The AFD also has fought a very good campaign on social media, and that's been
02:12part of the appeal.
02:13And in Eastern Germany, I think what we're seeing as well is that the party has made itself quite accessible
02:19in civil society.
02:20So in Germany, civil society groups, things like the voluntary fire service in villages, musical groups, cultural groups, sporting groups,
02:32and particularly in Eastern Germany, it's really been able to get quite a strong foothold there, whereas the other parties
02:38are comparatively weak there.
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