Summary
- Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) had significant success in recent elections in former Eastern German states, winning almost one-third of the vote in both contests.
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government faced a disaster, with his party performing poorly in Thuringia and Saxony.
- The rise of AfD is not just about nostalgia for the socialist era but is influenced by feelings of being “second-class citizens” and resentment towards immigration policies.
- The political landscape in Eastern Germany reflects broader trends seen across Europe since the 1990s.