Being Black in Germany has never been easy. Elections in eastern states could make it harder still

Associated Press

ERFURT, Germany (AP) — The eastern German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg are set to elect new parliaments next month, and in all three states the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is ahead in the polls. The party has risen to power with its radical anti-immigrant agenda, and especially minorities are concerned that more power for the AfD may also translate into more racism. The AfD is especially powerful in the state of Thuringia, where, according to the latest polls, up to 30% of voters plan to vote for it. That political development worries especially Black Germans and African migrants in the state, who, as one of the most visible minority groups, have been experiencing many forms of discrimination and worry that discrimination may become acceptable in the middle of society.