Gelsenkirchen, once a stronghold of the SPD, is experiencing a rise in support for the AfD, despite its extremist designation. Local demographics have changed with an influx of immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria, causing cultural challenges and contributing to perceived insecurity among residents. Mehmet, a local worker of immigrant descent, notes that increased immigration has led to feeling unsafe at night. With unemployment rates soaring and poverty affecting half of local children, the town faces significant socio-economic struggles.
"The number of immigrants has gone up, there are people who don't speak German, who are very different culturally," he said.
"I've had my purse stolen three times," she said, adding that she no longer felt safe going out in the evenings.
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