Germany's 'Anti' Movement

The Patriot Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA) is a xenophobic, specifically anti-Muslim grassroots movement that was formed in Germany early 2014. The group protests the national policies of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open immigration policy in Germany, as well as the free movement of people, jobs and goods with the European Union. There are many different domestic and international sources covering this evolving phenomenon.

One news source that has been covering the events is Open Europe, a British blog that reports only on European news. The format of the blog includes a short summary by an expert on the topic, followed by a large open comments section. In regards to PEGIDA, Open Europe frames the discussion around terrorist events like the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, which the blog suggest are catalysts for more aggressive rhetoric in Germany. In particular, the theme of the comments section notes that Germans are increasingly favouring more conservative, yet extreme, political parties like Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which supports PEGIDA’s ‘anti’ objective.

A second example is an article in RT that covered March protests of pro-immigration policy in Berlin. The body of the article framed the debate around the effectiveness of current Chancellor Merkel, noting that her popularity is in significant decline. The text suggests that reasons for her increased dislike are the results of bans on some demonstrations, continued multicultural efforts, and unwillingness to engage in public debate about Germany’s cultural question. The article also has two links to videos of January PEGIDA protests in the eastern Germany. One video shows the peaceful movement of thousands of citizens through the streets of snowy Dresden at night. The frame use here is anti-violent, but also highlights solidarity with the proliferation of ‘silent’ populist movements across Europe. The other video chronicles a protest in Leipzig where demonstrators act rudely and roughly to authorities. This video juxtaposes the aggressiveness of protestors with the video’s title, “Herzlichkeit,” which means warmth and generosity. The contrasting frames in these videos highlights both PEGIDA’s external reputation of high brutalisation, as well as their internal ‘bliss.’

A third example comes from the German newspaper Die Welt, which frames the anti-immigration question as one related to the upcoming German elections. The article contends that the negative sentiment surrounding Merkel and public demands and demonstrations for change in the German cultural dynamic have given legitimacy to right-wing party leader of the AfD, Frauke Petry. Interestingly for a Germany newspaper, Die Welt notes that while several of Petry’s claims are true – Germany’s unresolved migration question, prominent EU power and responsibilities, etc. – her platform draws scary similarities to the Nazi era. This is uncharacteristic of a country that rarely speaks about their past. The frame here is a careful balance between subjectivity and objectivity, particularly noted in the style of writing and verb tense of the article – the use of “sei” creates a distance between the reporter and their story in the German language. I think Die Welt wants to caution of a repeat of history, which also noting the importance of addressing the burdening extremism and immigration questions.