With the far right on the rise, it’s a bad time to live in Germany – but a worse time to leave | Fatma Aydemir

The growing support for AfD and other hardliners is frightening for minorities. But we'll keep on showing them we belong here

At Berlin parties, there is a new hot topic of conversation. Over the wine spritzers and cigarettes and along with the small talk, someone will ask: So where do we go?" And even if those in the conversation barely know each other, everyone knows exactly what that question implies. The next federal elections in Germany take place in less than two years' time, and there's a chance that the far-right party Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) could be part of the government.

Not only is the AfD currently polling in second place nationally, it has more potential voters than any of the three parties in the governing coalition (Social Democrats, Greens and the economically liberal Free Democrats). The surge in the far right's popularity is fuelling a mood swing in nearly every political camp. Outright anti-immigrant rhetoric is seeping into our everyday lives. Some Germans were, it seems, only waiting for an opportunity to scapegoat minorities for modern ills.

Fatma Aydemir is a Berlin-based author, novelist, playwright and a Guardian columnist

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