Germany’s political system is set up to exclude extremists. Yet the country is waking up to a new political reality that has lurched to the right with the once outcast Alternative for Germany (AfD) party now firmly established in German politics.
Germany has long been considered to have relatively ambitious climate goals and it’s likely that combatting climate change will remain a priority.
Friedrich Merz, head of the conservative Christian Democrats, has vowed to bring stronger leadership to Europe, where the new Trump administration has sowed anxiety.
Friedrich Merz and his party won, Elon Musk didn’t seem to move voters, and more lessons from an early German vote with big implications for Europe.