Different to all its neighboring countries, in Germany, seemed to be no ground for right-wing populist parties due to two main obstacles. First, because populism in Germany must operate in a historically encumbered environment, the media has developed a fear of contact with it which prevents any unconstrained debate and constantly exposes the right-wing parties to the risk of being linked with National Socialism. And, second, because of the stigmatization that would follow and thereby prevent the parties’ from establishing themselves as a political force. This has changed in the 2010s.