A Far-Right Warning From Germany
Mainstream parties need to consider broader coalitions if they want to avoid partnering with the extreme right.
The far right in Germany may be confined to the opposition benches, but they are proving just how disruptive they can be.
Earlier this month, in the country’s eastern state of Thuringia, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) joined Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling center-right Christian Democrats and the pro-business Free Democrats to elect the latter party’s candidate for state governor. That a regional leader was elected with far-right support prompted a national uproar. Within days, Merkel condemned the result as “unforgivable”; the winning candidate stepped down; and the Christian Democrats’ leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer—thought to be Merkel’s anointed successor when the chancellor steps aside next year—.
