German far-right party sparks outrage with ‘deportation tickets’

BERLIN

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has sparked outrage by distributing election flyers with “deportation tickets” in mailboxes, including those of immigrant households, in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, according to local media.

The inflammatory campaign materials, designed to resemble one-way economy plane tickets “from Germany” to “a safe country of origin,” specified Feb. 23 -- the date of upcoming parliamentary elections -- as the departure date.

Karlsruhe's Social Democratic Mayor Frank Mentrup denounced the action as “crossing a dangerous line.”

Mentrup strongly criticized the flyers, stating that they were creating fear in immigrant communities and damaging social cohesion.

Local police have launched an investigation into potential incitement to hatred, according to the public broadcaster SWR on Monday.

The incident comes amid rising concerns about the AfD's growing influence in German politics. A recent INSA institute poll found 22% of Germans plan to vote for the AfD, making it the second-strongest party behind the conservative CDU/CSU bloc at 31%. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) trails at 15%.

Despite recent controversies, including revelations of a secret meeting where senior AfD officials discussed the mass deportation of immigrants, the party has maintained strong support, particularly in eastern Germany.

German intelligence authorities have monitored various AfD branches and its youth wing since 2021 due to concerns about anti-democratic tendencies. The party continues to face persistent criticism for its members' anti-immigrant, antisemitic, and Islamophobic statements.