A German 'Project 2029' in the making? – Berlin Briefing Podcast

Key Concepts

• Project 2025: A comprehensive initiative in the United States, described as a long-term preparation by conservative groups to staff and guide a future Republican presidential administration, particularly one led by Donald Trump.
• AfD (Alternative for Germany): A right-wing to far-right political party in Germany, discussed in comparison to Project 2025 regarding its organizational maturity and ideological alignment.
• Executive Orders: Directives issued by the President of the United States that manage operations of the federal government, highlighted as a key tool prepared in advance by Project 2025.
• Broad Coalition: The diverse range of groups and individuals supporting Project 2025, including financial elites and religious organizations.
• Shared Ideologies: Common political and social goals identified between Project 2025 and the AfD, particularly concerning national identity, immigration, and religious minorities.

Comparison of Political Movements: Project 2025 (US) vs. AfD (Germany)

The speaker draws a direct comparison between Project 2025 in the United States and the AfD (Alternative for Germany), highlighting significant differences in their level of preparedness, organizational structure, and intellectual backing, while noting shared ideological tenets.

Project 2025: Decades of Preparation and Strategic Execution

Project 2025 is presented as an exceptionally well-prepared and long-standing initiative in the United States, with its origins tracing back "since 50 years, 40 years." The core strategy of Project 2025 involved patiently waiting for a leader like Donald Trump, who would be "willing to just execute" their meticulously developed plans.

A key detail illustrating this preparedness is the strategic use of the four years of Joe Biden's presidency. During this period, the minds behind Project 2025 ensured "everything [was] ready." This included the pre-writing of "every single executive order" – hundreds of which were signed by Trump in his initial days and weeks in office. These orders were "prepared long before the election even took place," demonstrating a profound level of foresight and organizational depth.

The movement supporting Project 2025 is characterized by a "very kind of broad coalition," encompassing "money elites" and "religious groups." It is also noted for being backed by "very very smart people" across various groups, contributing to its sophisticated structure and strategic planning.

AfD: Lacking Structure and Preparedness

In contrast, the AfD in Germany is assessed as "not there yet" in terms of the level of preparedness and organizational sophistication seen in Project 2025. The speaker explicitly states that the AfD "don't have the structure" and, "to be quite frank," "don't have the brains" when compared to the intellectual and strategic depth of Project 2025's supporters. Despite this, there is a clear observation that the AfD "definitely is copying a lot from that here in the United States," suggesting an attempt to emulate the American model without yet achieving its level of development.

Shared Ideologies and Goals

Despite the differences in organizational maturity, both Project 2025 and the AfD are identified as sharing fundamental ideological commonalities. These shared ideas include:

• Racial/National Identity: A desire to "make America white again" and "make Germany white again," indicating a focus on a specific ethnic or racial composition of the nation.
• Anti-Migration Stance: A shared objective to "fight migration."
• Anti-Muslim Sentiment: A common dislike for "Muslims."

These shared tenets form the core of their political agendas, connecting the two movements despite their geographical and structural differences.

Synthesis and Conclusion

The analysis highlights Project 2025 as a highly organized, long-term, and intellectually robust political project in the US, characterized by decades of preparation and a strategic readiness to implement its agenda through a willing leader like Donald Trump. Its success is attributed to a broad coalition and meticulous pre-planning, exemplified by the pre-written executive orders. The AfD, while sharing similar ideological goals, is presented as significantly less developed in terms of structure and strategic depth, though it appears to be drawing inspiration from the American model. The core takeaway is the stark contrast in operational maturity between these two right-wing movements, even as they converge on key issues of national identity, immigration, and religious minorities.