u/Nollij

Disclaimer: Not European, so this is my perception about the similar rise in the US.

Part of it is economics, and the general decline of (personal) prosperity. People can't afford the things needed for a comfortable life. That includes housing, heat, food, and entertainment.

Part of it is definitely propaganda. No matter what the issue is, you can find countless sources pointing to whatever enemy you might think of. And people flock to it, choosing their own echo chambers. Side note: Lemmy is very much part of this, although typically in the opposite direction than what boosts AfD.

But I think the biggest factor is education, particularly in critical thinking. A lot of these movements promise an easy explanation and an easy fix. Real solutions never are. It takes a lot more effort to truly examine their claims, and it always comes with real downsides that people don't want. There also isn't a moment after any policy changes where people evaluate the results, and reevaluate the plan to figure out how to better get to their goals.

To all of my European friends, please remember that AfD (and other similar groups) are merely a symptom, not the disease itself. You have to identify and address the root cause of why AfD has any meaningful support.

Even if this is true (very big IF), why would you publish that? The OpSec makes no sense. Are they trying to bait Russia into attacking to get a unified response? That seems like an incredibly risky move.

Betteridge says no.

A rare occasion where Betteridge does not apply.