“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the first far-right party to win a state election in Germany since the Second World War, giving it unprecedented power, even if other parties are sure to exclude it.
Voters in two closely watched elections in the former communist east made their dissatisfaction with Germany’s mainstream political parties clear, putting the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party in the top spot in Thuringia, with 32.8% of the vote, and second place in Saxony, with 30.7%, according to final results.
The leader of the AfD in Thuringia, Hoecke is one of Germany’s most controversial far-right politicians and was fined twice this year for deliberately using a banned Nazi slogan.
The upcoming government formations will probably take a long time, and the outcome is completely uncertain.
Edit:
While I understand the source for data displayed is important, it’s a bit random in this case, but here:
- Invasion of Poland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland
- Election results in Thüringen Germany showing the AfD as the winner: https://www.bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/europawahlen/2024/ergebnisse/bund-99/land-16.html
- The calculation between the two dates has to be done by yourself. ;)
The problem is that there is no real credible left in Germany. The so-called “center-left” are anything but left in the most important economic aspect, and the economically left parties are rightfully very small, because they are otherwise a very odd bunch ranging from mere Putin bootlickers to outright Stalinists.
I agree with some of what you say, but I think the center-left would probably be seen as more left-leaning if they weren’t constantly forced to govern with a neoliberal ankle bracelet on. The popularity of the Greens would also be higher if Conservatives hadn’t declared them as their “main adversary” while there are literal fascists sitting in parliament.
The so-called centre-left chose this neoliberal bracelet round their ankle by themselves. If you look back in history further than the last federal election in Germany, you’ll find that one of the harshest social cutbacks in post WW2 German history, the “Agenda 2010” was instituted by this so-called “centre-left”, namely a Red/Green coalition under Schröder/Fischer all on their own, without any FDP fig leaf to blame.
The FDP with their well known and predictable antisocial lobby policy having been invited into the current coalition is just a convenient fig leaf for the SPD and the Greens to pretend that they are still somewhat left, while in reality, there isn’t anything substantially left left in them.
They do run a hollow and shallow brand of feelgood leftism for a small privileged bubble that doesn’t need to worry about hard left topics like working conditions, cost of living, and distribution of wealth.