Abstract
The emergence and success of new and populist political parties are visible across Europe nowadays; Germany is not an exception to this trend. There is possible to see an apparent breakthrough of Alternative for Germany (AfD) in German general elections 2017 which has visibly changed the German party system.
After the previous performing in general elections 2013, European Parliament elections 2014, AfD succeed with 12,6 percent and 94 mandates as a third most powerful party in general elections 2017. This article explored the causes of this electoral result.
The main goal was to focus primarily on populist and right-wing populist appeals used by the party before general elections and during 2017 electoral campaign. The typology of populism created by Cas Mudde and Margaret Canovan was handled as the analytical framework for the discussion.
This approach was combined with analysis of AfD development, electoral campaign and electoral programme of AfD. The rhetoric of the party is shaped as xenophobic, Europhobic and direct democracy promoting.
The results show that AfD is benefiting not only from the socio-economic instability and growing Euroscepticism but also from the structural problems of the East German countries. Besides, there is possible to find linkages with other similarly oriented parties in Europe.