Roma rights activist warns of normalized hate after AfD victory

Mirga-Kruszelnicka argues the party’s rise signals a dangerous shift in German political discourse, where once-fringe racism against Sinti and Roma communities is gaining mainstream legitimacy. She points to the revival of derogatory language, noting that some AfD politicians have begun using the historical label 'Z'—the same marker forced upon Roma people during the Nazi era—to describe the minority group.

This alarm reflects a broader trend of nativism, with the AfD’s manifesto explicitly advocating for a pro-ethnic German state. The party’s regional leader, Ulrich Siegmund, has already signaled plans to prioritize the mass deportation of irregular migrants. Experts fear these policies could ensnare Roma individuals who have resided in Germany for generations, alongside more recent arrivals from the Balkans and Ukraine. The Council of Europe has previously labeled the treatment of the Roma as one of the continent's most significant human rights scandals, a reality now exacerbated by the party's electoral gains.