‘Climate-Soviets,’ ‘Alarmism,’ and ‘Eco-Dictatorship’: The Framing of Climate Change Scepticism by the Populist Radical Right Alternative for Germany

Abstract

This article conducts a case study of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) to explore the link between ideology and climate change scepticism. Employing qualitative data analysis on a sample of texts from the party’s membership magazine, this article studies the AfD’s climate change communications. The goal is twofold: (1) to explore which frames are used by the most visible sceptic voice in Germany; (2) to investigate how sceptic frames reflect the AfD’s populist radical right ideology. Overall, the findings reveal that the AfD frequently connects its climate change scepticism to its host ideologies, especially radical right-wing and free-market ideology. Accordingly, climate change mitigation policies are often attacked because they are claimed to harm Germany’s national interest or economy. In contrast, populism does not play a prominent role. That is the case despite the AfD frequently talking of people-centrism, and the ‘core people’ appear to be at the heart of its framing strategy.