Some already see a "winter of rage" coming to Germany. The protection of the constitution does not go that far. However, he can already see how right-wing extremists are switching from Corona to the topic of the supply crisis. They wanted to abuse legitimate protest for anti-democracy.
After the Corona protests, additional high energy costs could now lead to more protests in the coming months. A basic democratic right - but the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has observed that various actors from the right-wing extremist spectrum are "increasingly focusing on this complex of topics," according to a press release from the Federal Office.
The constitutional protectors are finding that a radicalized minority of right-wing extremists, so-called delegitimizers, Reich citizens and conspiracy believers are positioning themselves to occupy and misuse for mobilization issues such as the war against Ukraine, rising prices, inflation and the corona pandemic.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has been following "developments since the beginning of the war very closely". So far, however, there are no indications of a "hot autumn" with possibly violent protests.
The Federal Office observes the nationwide protests, but also currents that are preparing to hijack these protests for their own purposes. The right-wing extremist parties are of particular importance in this context. Here the economic effects of the war are "attributed to a perceived incompetence of the democratic parties". This is intended to undermine the trust of citizens in the state, government and democracy.
As an example, the constitutional protection officers cite the thematic course change of the regional party "Freie Sachsen", which "in addition to criticism of the corona protection measures, an increased focus on the social question is gradually coming to the fore". The party constructs a "supposed alienation of the democratic parties from the population" and tries to stage itself as a socio-political alternative. According to the BfV, the AfD is increasingly taking up the issue of inflation.
After the relaxation of the corona protection measures, the constitutional protection officers see a search for new topics in the protest scene in order to maintain the ability to mobilize. The topic of the "energy crisis" is already present, but according to the observers it has not yet determined the discourse.
Actors from the scene that pursues a "delegitimization of the state relevant to the protection of the constitution" are also observing the constitutional protection officers as they are already trying to assess the effects of the Russian war of aggression on the German population and economy. This is often embedded in conspiracy stories.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is also observing movement in the left-wing extremist scene: the field of "anti-militarism" has become increasingly important there since the beginning of the war. "Armaments companies in particular, but also the Bundeswehr and political parties are the focus of violent left-wing extremists," says the BfV statement. Property damage has already occurred. Blockades and sabotage actions must be expected.
Experts point to a good political communication strategy as a key means of preventing extremists from infiltrating legitimate protests. Measures must be transparent and well explained. Units in both the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of Economics are said to be working on developing communication channels for the coming months.
