Generation Germany, the new breeding ground for AfD ultras

BerlinThe far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) The AfD has relaunched its youth wing in an attempt to improve its image ahead of the 2026 regional elections. Far-right leader Alice Weidel emphasized that Generation Germany—the name of the AfD's new youth wing—will be the party's "talent pool." Although founded just a week ago, the youth organization is already under scrutiny from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the intelligence service of the German Interior Ministry. Generation Germany takes over from the AfD's former youth organization, Alternative Jove, which was considered too radical and difficult to control, even for the far-right party's leadership, and classified as far-right by German authorities. Its status as an independent association made it more vulnerable to a potential ban, which could have severely damaged the party's image. The AfD leadership therefore decided in March to dissolve Alternative Jove and create a new, less extreme organization more closely linked to the party. This makes its banning legally more difficult and increases Weidel's control. Experts believe it cannot be banned unless the entire organization is. Members of Alternativa Jove will also be members of the AfD, unlike before. In this way, rule violations or misconduct by AfD youth members can be sanctioned, even with expulsion from the party.

A wolf in sheep's clothing

Jean-Pascal Hohm was elected president of Generation German with 90.4% of the vote at the constituent assembly held on November 29 in Giessen, western Germany. Hohm, 28, joined the AfD when he was 17 and is currently a party member in the Brandenburg state parliament. With his moderate tone and ideal son-in-law looks, Hohm is considered a wolf in sheep's clothing. The AfD youth leader has been classified as a right-wing extremist by Brandenburg intelligence services. He maintains close ties with far-right circles, identitarian groups, and hooligans of neo-Nazi football, according to the German press.

The German Jordan Bardella defends the "great replacement" conspiracy theory, which claims that the white population is being replaced by immigrants. "Germany is not lost yet," said Hohm after being elected. "We want to be and will be the youth movement of optimism and confidence," he added. He also promised to fight with determination for "real migration change that guarantees Germany remains the country and home of Germans."

No change

The head of the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, has already seen signs of a far-right stance from the new organization Generation German. After analyzing the statements and people present in Giessen, Kramer sees "neither moderation, nor distancing, much less a change in the AfD's new youth organization compared to Alternative Jove."

"Ethnic nationalism, as well as allusions and parallels with the core ideas of the Hitler Youth, are some of the signs" that radicalization will continue, according to Kramer. Hohm criticized the comparison and accused him of acting like "a political activist and abusing his position to combat the democratic opposition."

Alexander Eichwald, a member of the AfD for a few months, caused a stir in Giessen with a speech reminiscent of Adolf Hitler, due to his gestures, his thick accent, and the use of some clearly suggestive expressions. Following his controversial speech, Eichwald was expelled from the Herford municipal group for damaging the party's image. "Nazi rhetoric and vocabulary have no place in the AfD," declared Herford regional chairman Alexander Parteck. This regional leader says he doesn't know if Eichwald is truly an ultra-right-winger, a comedian, or someone infiltrated by the left to provoke.

With Generation Germany, the AfD wants to present a friendlier and less extremist image in order to attract the youth vote ahead of the next regional elections in 2026. The AfD, the main opposition party at the federal level, could enter a regional government in West Germany for the first time, according to polls.