Alt-Right, Alt-Hero, Alt-Germany, the trend is perfectly clear. When the mainstream fails as completely and comprehensively as it has failed, whether it is the American conservative movement, the Big Two of comics, or the grand coalition of the SPD, CDU, and CSU, popular alternatives are inevitably going to rise up to replace the institutional failures that have proven they are no longer capable of performing their primary functions.
Despite charges from mainstream politicians that it is “fascist,” the right-wing Alternative to Germany party is now polling second, ahead of the left-wing Social Democrat Party. The party’s growing popularity may be due to its strong stand against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s lax immigration policies. Or, it could be because it offers a clear alternative to the oddball coalition cobbled together by Merkel of Social Democrats and the chancellor’s CDU party.
Since it has proven necessary in the past, allow me to be perfectly clear. The “Alt” in Alt★Hero also does not stand for Alternative für Deutschland.