After Germany’s Election, the Left Can Hope Again
Sunday’s German election saw a big shift toward right-wing parties. But while the Alternative für Deutschland piled up votes in the former East, socialist party Die Linke also made a major breakthrough.
Jan van Aken, Ines Schwerdtner, Heidi Reichinnek, and Gregor Gysi in Berlin on February 21, 2025. (Carsten Koall / picture alliance via Getty Images)
On Sunday, Germany took a huge step to the right.
The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) ran a campaign focused on law and order and halting immigration — and overtook Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) as the largest party in the Bundestag, with 28.6 percent of the vote.
Far-right figures across the world were even more jubilant over the nationalist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) becoming the second strongest force, with 20.8 percent support. This is a height not reached by a far-right party in Germany since the Nazi era. Congratulations came pouring in from Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Italy’s Matteo Salvini, and Elon Musk.
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