The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is riding high in the polls to the alarm of mainstream parties and is on track to win three state votes in the east of the country with calls to stop migration and curb what it sees as a costly green agenda.

AfD is polling 17-19% nationwide, around a record high for the party that now vies with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats for second place in some surveys, up from fifth in the 2021 election when it secured 10.3% of the vote.

It was last at such highs in 2018 after Europe's migrant crisis. This time, the nationalist, anti-immigrant party has also benefited from infighting in Scholz's three-way coalition.

Far-right parties have gained ground across Europe. In France, the far-right has become a stronger rival at the ballot box, while in Italy and Sweden, they are now are in government.

But the rise of the AfD, which lambasts the German government for high immigration levels, surging inflation and a costly green transition, touches a particularly sensitive nerve in Germany because of the country's Nazi past.

Germany's domestic spy agency has branded the AfD's youth wing "extremist", saying it propagated "a racial concept of society". The spy agency's head has also accused the AfD, which opposes sanctions on Russia, of helping spread Russian propaganda about the Ukraine war.

Germany's main parties have ruled out cooperating with the AfD to keep it out of government, but the AfD's critics worry that it is dragging mainstream politics further right.

"We are seeing the rhetoric on topics like migration get shriller," said Stefan Marschall, political scientist at the University of Duesseldorf.

Migration is moving up Germany's political agenda. Michael Kretschmer, the premier of the east German state of Saxony and who is from the right of centre Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said last week that the number of migrants was "too big", calling for limits on refugees allowed in and cuts to benefits.

<h2>The cost of transition</h2>

The CDU's national leader, Friederich Merz, has however dismissed any comparisons with the AfD, saying in comments on Sunday that his party's language was "nothing like" the AfD's.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has partly blamed the AfD for stoking anti-immigrant attitudes that have fuelled a rise in attacks on refugees. The AfD denies this.

The AfD, which disputes that human activity is a cause of climate change, has also tapped into concerns among some voters about the cost of the transition away from fossil fuels.

AfD leader Tino Chrupalla said more voters appreciated that the policies of the Greens, Scholz's junior coalition partner which wants a swifter shift away from hydrocarbons, brought "economic war, inflation and de-industrialisation."

"We are the only party that would not form a coalition with these dangerous Greens," he said.

In Thueringen, Saxony and Brandenburg, the east German states that are holding state elections in 2024, the AfD is on track to top voting for the first time, with surveys showing its support at 23%-28%.

Analysts say voters in the east, where party loyalties are less well-established, have been more receptive to the AfD in part because they blame mainstream parties that have rotated through various governments over the years for lower incomes that persist in the east, three decades after reunification.

Even if the AfD's is kept out of power, its rise has sucked votes from other parties, forcing them into more unwieldy coalitions at state and national levels, particularly in the east where the AfD is strongest.

<h2>Wave of discontent</h2>

Marc Debus, a political scientist at Mannheim University, said it could bolster calls among some voters for conservatives in particular to work more closely with the AfD, even if not in a formal coalition, rather than aligning with the left.

Some AfD initiatives have won backing from mainstream voters on the more local level. In December, members of the CDU in the small town of Bautzen in Saxony voted in favour of an AfD proposal to cut some benefits, such as language courses for migrants whose asylum applications had been rejected.

"This dogmatic way in Berlin of excluding the AfD, saying they are all Nazis, is wrong," said Matthias Grahl, head of the CDU in the Bautzen district council.

Others say the AfD is riding a wave of discontent because of a confluence of crises that will not last. Inflation has already dipped from its peak and sky-high energy prices over the winter, fuelled by the Ukraine war, have eased.

Wolfgang Buechner, a Scholz government spokesman, said he was confident the coalition could whittle away at AfD support.

"The chancellor is optimistic that if we do good work and solve the problems of this country ... then we will not need to worry much longer about this topic," he said.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is riding high in the polls to the alarm of mainstream parties and is on track to win three state votes in the east of the country with calls to stop migration and curb what it sees as a costly green agenda.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is riding high in the polls to the alarm of mainstream parties and is on track to win three state votes in the east of the country with calls to stop migration and curb what it sees as a costly green agenda. AfD is polling 17-19% nationwide, around a record high for the party that now vies with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats for second place in some surveys, up from fifth in the 2021 election when it secured 10.3% of the vote. It was last at such highs in 2018 after Europe's migrant crisis. This time, the nationalist, anti-immigrant party has also benefited from infighting in Scholz's three-way coalition. Far-right parties have gained ground across Europe. In France, the far-right has become a stronger rival at the ballot box, while in Italy and Sweden, they are now are in government. But the rise of the AfD, which lambasts the German government for high immigration levels, surging inflation and a costly green transition, touches a particularly sensitive nerve in Germany because of the country's Nazi past. Germany's domestic spy agency has branded the AfD's youth wing "extremist", saying it propagated "a racial concept of society". The spy agency's head has also accused the AfD, which opposes sanctions on Russia, of helping spread Russian propaganda about the Ukraine war. Germany's main parties have ruled out cooperating with the AfD to keep it out of government, but the AfD's critics worry that it is dragging mainstream politics further right. "We are seeing the rhetoric on topics like migration get shriller," said Stefan Marschall, political scientist at the University of Duesseldorf. Migration is moving up Germany's political agenda. Michael Kretschmer, the premier of the east German state of Saxony and who is from the right of centre Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said last week that the number of migrants was "too big", calling for limits on refugees allowed in and cuts to benefits. The cost of transition The CDU's national leader, Friederich Merz, has however dismissed any comparisons with the AfD, saying in comments on Sunday that his party's language was "nothing like" the AfD's. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has partly blamed the AfD for stoking anti-immigrant attitudes that have fuelled a rise in attacks on refugees. The AfD denies this. The AfD, which disputes that human activity is a cause of climate change, has also tapped into concerns among some voters about the cost of the transition away from fossil fuels. AfD leader Tino Chrupalla said more voters appreciated that the policies of the Greens, Scholz's junior coalition partner which wants a swifter shift away from hydrocarbons, brought "economic war, inflation and de-industrialisation." "We are the only party that would not form a coalition with these dangerous Greens," he said. In Thueringen, Saxony and Brandenburg, the east German states that are holding state elections in 2024, the AfD is on track to top voting for the first time, with surveys showing its support at 23%-28%. Analysts say voters in the east, where party loyalties are less well-established, have been more receptive to the AfD in part because they blame mainstream parties that have rotated through various governments over the years for lower incomes that persist in the east, three decades after reunification. Even if the AfD's is kept out of power, its rise has sucked votes from other parties, forcing them into more unwieldy coalitions at state and national levels, particularly in the east where the AfD is strongest. Wave of discontent Marc Debus, a political scientist at Mannheim University, said it could bolster calls among some voters for conservatives in particular to work more closely with the AfD, even if not in a formal coalition, rather than aligning with the left. Some AfD initiatives have won backing from mainstream voters on the more local level. In December, members of the CDU in the small town of Bautzen in Saxony voted in favour of an AfD proposal to cut some benefits, such as language courses for migrants whose asylum applications had been rejected. "This dogmatic way in Berlin of excluding the AfD, saying they are all Nazis, is wrong," said Matthias Grahl, head of the CDU in the Bautzen district council. Others say the AfD is riding a wave of discontent because of a confluence of crises that will not last. Inflation has already dipped from its peak and sky-high energy prices over the winter, fuelled by the Ukraine war, have eased. Wolfgang Buechner, a Scholz government spokesman, said he was confident the coalition could whittle away at AfD support. "The chancellor is optimistic that if we do good work and solve the problems of this country ... then we will not need to worry much longer about this topic," he said.

Analysis: Germany's far-right rides high on anti-immigration, anti-green agenda

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip.

Trump&#39;s first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections.

Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration &quot;is basically going to war against the state of California,&quot; after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws.

&quot;Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders,&quot; the president said in his weekly address.

&quot;The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government .&quot;

The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America&#39;s southern border.

California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed.

&quot;We&#39;re going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for &quot;refusing to follow federal law,&quot; a reference to the state&#39;s efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation.

Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said.

And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign.

&#39;War&#39; against California

The &quot;Golden State&quot; and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns.

Trump&#39;s visit is &quot;part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California,&quot; said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University.

&quot;He&#39;s trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020,&quot; Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later.

Despite its generally liberal leanings, &quot;California is a place with money,&quot; and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump&#39;s re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper.

Focus on Republican areas

Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media.

&quot;His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas,&quot; Zelizer said. &quot;He&#39;s not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation.&quot;

Trump&#39;s visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies.

Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president&#39;s arrival &quot;to set the tone for Trump&#39;s visit,&quot; said executive director Andrea Guerrero.

Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said.

Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump&#39;s visit to inspect border wall prototypes.

In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration&#39;s practice of &quot;forcibly separating&quot; asylum-seeking parents and young children.

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip. Trump's first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections. Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration "is basically going to war against the state of California," after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws. "Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders," the president said in his weekly address. "The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government ." The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America's southern border. California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed. "We're going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for "refusing to follow federal law," a reference to the state's efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation. Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said. And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign. 'War' against California The "Golden State" and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns. Trump's visit is "part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California," said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. "He's trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020," Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later. Despite its generally liberal leanings, "California is a place with money," and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said. The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper. Focus on Republican areas Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media. "His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas," Zelizer said. "He's not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation." Trump's visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies. Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president's arrival "to set the tone for Trump's visit," said executive director Andrea Guerrero. Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said. Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump's visit to inspect border wall prototypes. In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration's practice of "forcibly separating" asylum-seeking parents and young children.

Trump to make first trip as president to defiant California

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Analysis: Germany's far-right rides high on anti-immigration, anti-green agenda

Trump to make first trip as president to defiant California