Germany
— Germany clashes with Washington after the AfD was labelled a confirmed extremist threat. A Secretary of State’s outburst prompted Berlin to assert its constitutional duty to combat right-wing radicalism.
UK Politics
— The populist radical right is rising across Europe, challenging mainstream parties. Germany’s “firewall” isolates them, while others debate co-opting or confronting them. Centre-left parties must resist imitation, while centre-rights face a strategic dilemma.
German Politics
— Alice Weidel, leader of Germany’s far-right AfD, presents a paradox. A multilingual, Swiss-based ex-banker with a diverse family, she once embraced conservative moderation but now champions anti-immigration rhetoric. Opportunism or conviction?
2025 German Elections
— Germany’s youth vote has taken a dramatic turn, with first-time voters flocking to both the hard left and far right in record numbers, while the CDU/CSU emerges as the largest party in an election set to reshape the nation’s political landscape.
2025 German Elections
— Germany’s economy is stagnating, with recession, high inflation, and low productivity growth driving voter concerns ahead of the election. Energy costs, weak labour supply, and sluggish investment hinder recovery.
European Security
— European leaders face a seismic shift as US support wanes. Trump’s unilateralism, Ukraine war talks excluding Europe, and efforts to divide the EU demand urgent European unity to safeguard security and sovereignty.
Germany
— Germany’s CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, has shifted rightward on immigration, passing a Bundestag vote with the support of the far-right AfD, breaking a political firewall. This controversial move intensifies Germany’s polarised election climate.
Populism
— Populist parties have surged across Europe, fuelled by dissatisfaction, distrust, and economic inequality post-2008 financial and 2015 migration crises. Restoring political trust could counter this trend.
Germany
— Germany's Constitution safeguards democracy amid the AfD’s electoral rise. Despite fragmentation and economic challenges, the Constitution, federalism, and coalition governance limit threats, preventing a return to authoritarianism.
Germany
— Germany hosts Euro 2024 amid a “super election year” and rising far-right politics. With Nazi-era buildings like Berlin’s Olympiastadion still in use, debates on addressing Germany’s past intensify.
Populism
— Right-wing populists thrive by simplifying messages in a noisy information landscape. Communication theory elucidates how misinformation polarises society, favouring certainty over complexity, especially on the political right.
Dark Money
— A company controlled by a wealthy donor, believed to be a major funder of the far right in Germany, has donated another £50,000 to the Carlton Club – which has, in turn, given £1.3m to the Conservative Party.
