Brandmauer
In short
The Brandmauer is a political strategy in Germany where mainstream parties refuse to cooperate or form coalitions with far-right groups like the AfD. It acts as a democratic barrier to prevent extremist parties from gaining power through government partnerships.
In plain words
It is a rule of non-cooperation. Mainstream politicians agree not to work with far-right parties to stop them from influencing laws. This keeps extreme views away from the actual running of the country.
A simple example
If a far-right party wins many votes in a local election, the larger centre-left and centre-right parties will still refuse to join them in a governing coalition.
Why it matters
It protects the democratic system by isolating radical elements. However, critics argue it can ignore the will of voters who support those excluded parties.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse this political term with a literal fire wall used in computer networking to block cyber attacks.