Respect Deficit Fueled AfD Surge

The AfD’s electoral strength in eastern German states stems less from pure material decline and more from a persistent social disrespect: West German political and cultural elites granted formal equality after reunification but failed to treat East Germans as social equals, producing resentment that parties like the AfD converted into votes. Fukuyama links this to demographic shifts (two million east‑to‑west migrants), deindustrialization, and the growing cultural distance between cosmopolitan elites and less‑educated regional populations. — If true, this reframes policy responses to right‑wing populism away from solely economic redistribution toward restoring status, recognition, and local voice — changing how parties, media, and institutions respond to populist surges.