Gays turn to far right AFD party for solace

September 14, 2017 11:50 PM

As attacks on gays increase in Germany, many members of the LGBTQ community are beginning to find reasons to vote for far right political party, Alternative for Germany (AfD).

They may not always agree with the party that opposes same-sex marriage but their anti-immigration platform definitely holds some appeal for those who have been burnt by violence aimed at openly gay couples.

"I don't like everything they say,"Karsten P. who has been a victim, says, "but this is too dangerous for gay people to live openly here, if we get attacked like that. We need a party that's talking openly about this."

The four-year-old party, campaigning on a anti-immigration platform, now has seats in 13 of the country's 16 state parliaments.

CNN reports that the party has proposed a ban on mosque minarets and cutbacks on migration, from within the European Union and beyond while its party manifesto says that "Islam does not belong in Germany."

The AFD has been accused by critics of being a flimsy disguise for neo-Nazi sentiment, citing one candidate who allegedly sent a photo of Hitler to some AfD supporters with the text: "Adolf please get in touch! Germany needs you! The German people!," as an example.

In many ways, the AfD may not be the best place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) voters seeing as the party has threatened to sue the government for allowing the recent vote to legalize same-sex marriage.

The AfD manifesto advocates the "traditional family as a guiding principle."

At the risk of conflict of interests, the AFD seems to be a lesser evil for gays in Germany.

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