Katya Adler: Looks far away for electoral success as Germany

A political tide wave is crashing across Germany. The hard-right nationalist option for the Germany (AFD) party makes it strong.

It is labeled by opponents “radical”, “racist” and “anti -democratic”. Germany’s domestic intelligence service says the party is “constitutional”.

But if the elections are correct, the AFD will become the second largest political force in Germany after this Sunday.

This will be a big innings in tectonic plates, not only at home but across Europe.

Why is AFD such a big deal, you can ask? Parties on populist rights have increased in support in most parts of Europe.

AFD also indicates Donald Trump. They share their “anti-vocals”, difficult-migration, supporters-life-fuel messages. They are also eager to prevent weapons from sending weapons to Ukraine, and to increase tension with Russia.

The Trump administration gives them back support for many German displeasure, publicly, back.

The thing is that Germany is not just any other country.

It is Europe’s largest economy, one of its most influential countries. It still carries the weight of its Nazi past. Along with the UK and France, it is one of the big three who helped shape and secure the liberal order and defense structures of Europe after both the World War two and the Cold War.

A hard-light party has been so successful in the post-war Germany ever before, while on the desire to be identified as a threat to the federal Republic and its generous constitution.

French influential opposition leader, Marine Le Penn, whose party is also considered far-flung, has removed himself from the AFD on the European platform, apparently his positions and ethnic-nationalist reputation as well as a radically. Did

The long -held perception between the mainstream at home and abroad was that the dark past of Germany had immunized it with extreme right against any serious tampering.

But there is a lot about this election that supervisors are changing their views about Germany. And I will come back to AFD, which strictly denies his “extremist” label.

The Germans have faced a kick in the intestine – in terms of self -centenary and their country’s international reputation.

For years, he was being praised as Europe’s economic power – and envied – envied.

Vorprang derach techniqueBroadly translated as “progress through technology”, there was an advertising slogan for Audi cars in the 1980s. It ended the reputation of Germany in international imagination for decades.

The country was seen as modern, dynamic and technically advanced. And the automobile industry was one of the main arteries pumping money in the economic heart of Germany.

But the fundamental flaws are now exposed in the German economic model.

It is widely seen Cuputt (Broken)-Dahan-Incentive Cars and Chemical Industries such as energy-intensive, to rely more on old-fashioned industries.

Critics question Germany’s lack of foresight, or the ability to proceed over time. Where was the serious investment in R&D? In Big Tech? In AI?

To make cases worse during 16 years of Angela Merkel as Chancellor – he left the post in 2021 – Germany became rapidly dependent:

• Export to china
• Cheap gas from Russia
• An American defense umbrella.

All this revealed Germany very much.

Donald Trump now says that Europe can no longer rely on US security aid and guarantee.

China has progressed rapidly in the automobile industry and dominates electric car technology. German imports are less needed so far.

And the entire scale invasion of Russia’s Ukraine left Germany for alternative energy sources. Buying liquid natural gas from the US and others is expensive, causing financial stress on many energy-intensive German businesses.

Results: Germany’s economy is dull and sticky. As the largest member of the eurozone currency, there is an impact method beyond its boundaries. European allies are disappointed.

The German army is also a source of irritation among the European neighbors (which is politely putting it). Berlin Raksha coalition, NATO has a significant power. Donald Trump’s return to the White House means that Europeans need to provide their abilities more.

German Chancellor Olaf Scolaz promises Zeitenweende – A twist point – For the lack of its country, after a full -scale invasion of Russia’s Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the German army remains in a weak state – less fighting – Tayyar, we have been told, compared to three years ago.

Partly due to its donation to Ukraine.

Germany, after the US, has been the largest donor of military aid for Ukraine and most political parties in Germany are in favor of continuing to support Kiev.

AFD takes a very different stance. “Peace” is one of the most frequent signs you see in their rallies.

They want a synergy with Russia, immediately stop sending weapons to Ukraine, and use resources instead of building German armed forces for security at home.

More than 4,000 bridges in Germany are broken or in suspicious conditions. I could hardly believe my ears when I first heard. But this is a report reported in a country whose infrastructure has been quietly growing for years due to old investment – public and private.

The train time ban in Germany is frightening – worse than Britain, which will surprise tired British passengers.

Digitization is also mournful. Mobile phone reception has patch outside cities and people are still known to use fax!

But even though recent German governments wanted to invest more, they faced a legal limit on expenses.

Except for the national emergency time, a loan brake was written in the German Constitution after the financial crisis of 2008/9, with a hurdle on the new loan of more than 0.35% of GDP.

The Germans did not trust their politicians.

He saw the government and the government spending spirals abroad. Euro currency, on which Germany depends, almost collapsed.

But voters seemed an anchor of financial stability, now many people seem to be, a block for economic development.

The lines about the improvement in debt brakes were the last straw that was a leader for the collapse of the outgoing alliance of Germany and the Snap election on this Sunday.

But, beware of the new German government: Breaking the debt break will not make sense. To change the German Constitution, you need a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Migration is a major issue in Germany. And a big vote winner for AFD.

It is away from the only country who worries about the level of migration in Europe, but Germany alone took more than one lakh shelter seekers, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan, during Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015/16 .

The country has also opened its doors for 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees.

Many Germans were proud that they called their “welcome culture”.

But a part of the attacks by the Middle East and Afghanistan seekers has again debated how the boundaries of Germany should be open.

There is stabbing, a match attack, a car is walking in a Christmas market and again in a trade union performance in Munich, where another small child was still killed.

AFD insists that it is not a racist or migration, and that anyone is welcome in Germany. If they arrive by legal means, they work, contribute to society and respect local norms and culture. .

The party says it will immediately deport all the migrants who commit crime, and whoever comes here illegally.

The attitude was appreciated by many AFD supporters, which I spoke in rallies in Sunday’s election – including young women, who told me that they no longer feel safe on the streets.

It is also worth noting that in May, a German court found that “at least one important part of AFD” believed that no person with a migrant inheritance was “properly German” – even if they German Have citizenship. It was concluded that AFD aiming to “provide only one legally devaluation status to German citizens with a migration background. It goes against the German Constitution.

Concerned they may lose voters for AFDs on the question of migration and boundaries, the center of Germany has moved to the right in the right and the center to the right in their rhetoric. This is a win for AFD, which is also the result of the election.

Even if it becomes the second largest force in Parliament, as predicted, it is not very likely to make it in the next government of Germany.

In Germany, two post -World War political systems are designed so that no party dominates Parliament, as the Nazis first voted in 1933.

The name of the coalition-building game. And the end of the World War 2 has become a so-called firewall-a cross-party consensus to keep extreme right from the government.

AFD insists that it is conservative and liberal, not a radical, right -wing force.

It points to its growing support base, along with the West as well as East Germany and young voters. This accused the opponents of trying to close it, closing it and keeping it out of power. This, it says, is anti -democratic.

Elon Musk announced in December that when he could save AFD Germany, the Europe-wide headlines.

The majority here still insists that there is a need to protect their country from AFD.