I never thought people like me voted for the far right. I was wrong | Khuê Phạm

In Germany the AfD uses second-generation members to overhaul its xenophobic image - some buy into the message

Like many here in Germany, my home country, I have been following the rise of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland obsessively, expecting it to dominate the state elections in eastern Germany this September: polls put it ahead in all three states that are set to vote. Imagine Reform UK winning the north of England by promising to target and deport refugees and immigrants. It feels threatening to people like me.

I guess my alarm is no surprise, given that I come from a Vietnamese family. But I have been shocked to learn that even immigrant Germans are considering voting for the AfD. There are no numbers on this yet, but still, I cannot help but feel a personal sense of disappointment. How can people like me side with them?

Khue Phm is a German journalist and writer. Her debut novel, Brothers and Ghosts, which is inspired by her Vietnamese family, has just been released