‘People of Europe have never been asked whether they want to live in a super state’

People want more democracy, more referendums, a direct say when it comes to very important decisions that affect the entire union, and that is one of the issues the ‘Alternative for Germany’ is working for, party member Hugh Bronson told RT.

On August 31 Germany's newest party, the Euroskeptic "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), won its first seats in the state parliament of Saxony, in eastern Germany. The AfD Party entered the European Parliament in May's elections, calling for the breakup of the euro and campaigning against bailouts for Southern Europe. At recent elections it won around 9.6% of the vote.

RT:Why do you think voters in Saxony have turned in your direction?

Hugh Bronson: First of all, they were disappointed with the former coalition government although, and this is quite ironic, they have done pretty well compared to other states in Germany. But local issues specific to the country, specific to the Bundesland were not addressed. For instance, there are about 4 million people in Saxony, lots of them live close to the border of the Czech Republic and to Poland, and they are worried about the increase in cross border theft – heavy farm equipment has been stolen, lots of machinery – and also increase in trafficking of crystal meth. Despite of this threat the government decided to reduce the police force, they wanted to cut down the number of policemen, and they had a plan called 2020. Also they failed to employ enough teachers, so there is a shortage of 50,000 teachers. All these little things and also of course the very active and positive work of Frauke Petry, leader of AfD in Dresden, has secured a great success in August 31 elections.

RT:Do you expect to gain huge support during the upcoming polls in other parts of Germany (in the middle of September)?

HB: I think the party has gained quite a considerable momentum. There will be two more elections in Bundesland federal states in two weeks time in Thuringia and Brandenburg, and we believe we will comfortably get over the five percent threshold, we are looking at probably 7-8 percent or even more – 9 or a two-digit number. This will really carry us and this will help us to have a considerable success in these two upcoming elections.

RT:Your party has several seats in the European Parliament. What are the main ideas you're promoting there?

HB: The main issues that our seven representatives in the European Parliament want to address of course are the three points. One is to secure national sovereignty and work against the United States of Europe because the peoples of Europe have never been asked whether they want to live in a super state, stretching from Lisbon to the border of Ukraine. Secondly, they want to reduce bureaucracy and the uncontrolled spending of tax payer’s money that goes to Brussels. Last but not least, they want more democracy, more referendums, a direct say of people when it comes to very important decisions that affect the entire union. People should be asked directly to give their votes, to give their opinion. You must remember that none of the European Commissioners were voted for by anybody in Europe. They were nominated and they have the huge power to make decisions. So these are the three very basic issues the AfD is working for.

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