In Germany, the ruling coalition suffered crushing defeats in recent regional elections in the east, with immigration proving to be a hot-button issue. In Brandenburg, where the far-right AfD is also leading in the polls, DW met a candidate who refuses to back down.
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00:00This is the woman determined to unseat a far-right rival in an AFD stronghold through her commitment
00:06to change, Adeline Abimwi Avemo.
00:10I'm worried, but I'm not afraid of the AFD.
00:16There's a difference between worrying and being afraid.
00:19When you're worried, you can still find a solution.
00:21But when you're afraid, you look for a way out.
00:26Cameroonian Borna Avemo hopes to get into parliament in the upcoming regional election
00:31in Brandenburg for the conservative CDU party.
00:35Her politics have been inspired by her experience as an immigrant to Germany and all the challenges
00:40and opportunities that come with it.
00:45But her mission has also made her a target in her hometown Cottbus, located in a state
00:49where the far-right AFD is polling at around 27 percent.
00:54Police are currently investigating an alleged incident of racial abuse and assault, in
00:59which Avemo was verbally abused and had to be treated for a neck injury while out campaigning
01:04in July.
01:09It happened.
01:10I hope it doesn't happen again.
01:12It was shocking that something like that could happen.
01:16In my 22 years in Cottbus, I've never experienced such racism.
01:22I continued with my campaign, hanging up my posters as planned, until the end.
01:34One of Avemo's political opponents in this district?
01:38Lars Schieske from the AFD.
01:40He is classified as a far-right extremist by the regional intelligence authorities.
01:45He won the constituency in 2019 and has good chances of doing it again.
01:51So getting him out and her in is a difficult mission.
01:56Because many here are disillusioned with Germany's more established parties.
02:02I think a strong AFD is a good thing.
02:04Just look at Germany.
02:05See how Germany is going downhill.
02:07Germany helps foreigners, offering aid all over the place, while nothing happens here.
02:13I completely disagree with the policies of the German government and the established
02:17parties in general.
02:20I don't like the asylum policy.
02:23Others here fear the far-right surge.
02:26It's sad.
02:27The German government made mistakes in the past few years to the benefit of the AFD.
02:32They've just had to sit back and the votes come to them.
02:38I'm disappointed in the people here.
02:40How can anyone vote for the AFD?
02:42Did they not have parents, grandparents?
02:44Have they never talked about the war and how everything started with Hitler?
02:49Avemo is the first black woman to run here for a mandate.
02:53And she is determined to unify democratic forces to counter the far-right AFD.