This article uses compelling evidence to show that material factors are hugely significant in making people vulnerable to parties like the AfD, and there are things we can (and should) do about it.

Here are two excerpts (but read the whole thing, too!)

“When people continue to work hard, but the prices of essential goods skyrocket, workers feel betrayed. Their frustration is exacerbated when stock markets reach record highs and corporate profits skyrocket…
…We need a concrete, democratic alternative to the status quo. As first steps, this means a policy that stabilizes essential prices—from food to energy to rent—and a policy that increases wages.”

This part makes it clear that governments will be punished if they don’t stand up for their citizens and side with the establishment instead.

“The AfD achieved its first surge to 15 percent of the vote in fall 2022 as a result of the energy price shock. The second surge to over 20 percent came in fall 2022, as the price shock deepened and the government briefly considered passing the costs of the crisis on to citizens via the gas levy.”