Radical turn? East Germans reject mainstream parties as far right surges

François PICARD | Alessandro XENOS | Rebecca GNIGNATI | Famke KRUMBMULLER | Daniela SCHWARZER | Rafael LOSS | Jörg TASZMAN

Edité par France 24 - 2024

It is precisely with the Nazis in mind that Germany hard-baked moderation and compromise into its federal system. Still, how will these results impact policy both in both Berlin and Brussels?

There is another layer of Germany’s past evoked with these elections: the sudden inroads made by anti-immigrant left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht, formerly of the Communist-rooted Die Linke party. She's playing to a "make East Germany great again" sentiment among voters frustrated by Western-looking policymakers. 

Both her BSW party and the AfD denounce military support for Ukraine and enjoy warm relations with Russia, where all the Cold War-era nostalgia can only be music to Vladimir Putin's ears. 

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

Note
  • Thuringia may represent just two percent of Germany's population, but the eastern state is hardly an outlier. The far right finished first in Sunday's regional elections, while also surging in nearby Saxony. Admittedly, the AfD, whose lead candidate Björn Höcke was twice fined this year for using Nazi-era slogans at rallies, will not be in government.

Langue
anglais
Date de publication
02/09/2024
Collection
The Debate
Contributeurs
Famke KRUMBMULLER Executive Director, Geostrategic Business Group, EY France
Daniela SCHWARZER Member of the executive board, Bertelsmann Foundation
Rafael LOSS Policy Fellow, ECFR
Jörg TASZMAN FRANCE 24 Berlin correspondent

Consulter en ligne

Suggestions

Du même auteur

What's left of the German model? The Merkel years revisited | François PICARD

What's left of the German model? The Merkel y...

| François PICARD | 2024

Her successor, Olaf Scholz, who came to power in the midst of a pandemic, was chosen in part for his resemblance to Merkel's no-drama, steady approach. Yet three years later, Scholz's coalition has collapsed, and Germany – the Eur...

By any means necessary? Ecuador's new president and the fight against drug gangs | François PICARD

By any means necessary? Ecuador's new preside...

| François PICARD | 2024

Back in January, the world was shocked to see a once-peaceful Andean nation overrun by massive prison breaks in several cities, with the escape of "Capitan Pico" and the brief overtaking of a television station by gang members. Is...

From Taiwan to TikTok: Who blinks first in US-China showdown? | François PICARD

From Taiwan to TikTok: Who blinks first in US...

| François PICARD | 2024

When Washington and Beijing face off over China flooding world markets with subsidised solar panels and electric car batteries, it certainly sounds like bartering over big bucks. But there's also competing political models at...

More Europe or else? Macron lists 'mortal' dangers ahead of EU elections | François PICARD

More Europe or else? Macron lists 'mortal' da...

| François PICARD | 2024

"Everything that is strategic in our world, we have delegated. Our energy, to Russia; Our security – for several of our partners; not France, but several others – to the United States. And other critical interests, also, to C...

Generational shift? Gaza war protests spread across US campuses | François PICARD

Generational shift? Gaza war protests spread ...

| François PICARD | 2024

We ask about the students' calls for a ceasefire and for some, a boycott of Israel along the lines of the 1980s movement to divest from apartheid-era South Africa. Will a seemingly endless war in Gaza tear the American left apart,...

Macron's gamble: Will snap elections stop the rise of French far right? | François PICARD

Macron's gamble: Will snap elections stop the...

| François PICARD | 2024

Since losing his outright majority in parliament after his re-election as president in 2022, Macron had muddled through with a mixture of compromises and executive decrees. Now, suddenly, comes a lightning-fast three-week campaign...

How far could the far right go? European elections could shift balance of power in Brussels | François PICARD

How far could the far right go? European elec...

| François PICARD | 2024

One woman is at the heart of it all: Giorgia Meloni. Italy's prime minister has proven to be a team player to mainstream partners at the EU level, while harking back to her far-right roots on the current campaign trail. Could she ...

Haiti's long wait for help: Can international police force stop gang rule? | François PICARD

Haiti's long wait for help: Can international...

| François PICARD | 2024

The unelected Henry has since handed power over to a collegial Transitional National Council, but the gangs have extended their chokehold on Haiti and the deployment of law enforcement remains on hold.We bring you an exclusive rep...

Can Israel ignore the pressure? International condemnation swells after Rafah offensive | François PICARD

Can Israel ignore the pressure? International...

| François PICARD | 2024

That war could last another seven months, says a top official in Binyamin Netanyahu's government. Israeli citizens are also traumatised by October 7 and its aftermath, but are not seeing the same images as the rest of the wor...

Chargement des enrichissements...