Demokratische Querfronten?

Der neue Rechtspopulismus und die Ambivalenzen der direkten Demokratie

Abstract

Starting point of the article is a right-wing populist campaign against the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) in Germany, which lead to the foundation of the party „Alternative für Deutschland“ (AfD). Initially the actors of this campaign, their general criticism of the EU, their narrative about the economic crises and their social basis are analysed. But the right-wing populists were also part of a broader coalition in civil society, which called for direct democracy in general and a referendum on the ESM in particular. Therefore the second part of the article analyses the underlying concept of democracy and shows why neoliberals and national-conservatives opt more and more for direct democracy. These issues point to ambivalences of direct democracy, which should not be overlooked by leftists.