Following historic success by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Thuringia and Saxony and gains by the left-populist Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), all eyes are on Brandenburg. The far-right anti-immigration party may snag the Social Democrat stronghold and land in the top position in the election on Sunday. We spoke to a political scientist to find out what it all means.
The AfD won the most votes in Thuringia with 33 percent, and came a close second behind the Christian Democrats (CDU) in Saxony with 30 percent. It’s the first time a far-right party has won a state election in Germany since World War II. We looked at what the results mean for foreign residents living there.
After the elections we conducted a snap survey asking our readers, most of whom are foreign residents living in Germany, if they were worried about the rise in popularity of far-right politics in Germany. Of those who responded, almost 80 percent said they were anxious about the direction the country is heading in.
Amid dissatisfaction with mainstream parties, the AfD is picking up many votes in eastern Germany – including from young people. This story looks at how the party is finding innovative ways to engage young people.
Brandenburg – the state surrounding Berlin – has many rural areas where coal mines are a part of the local identity. Because Germany is phasing out coal as part of climate protection targets, it may be leading some to turn to the far-right AfD.
The shockwaves of these elections are being felt across Germany, including in the coalition government made up of the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP). In this article we explore the challenges facing the German government, many of which are connected to voters turning to populist parties.
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