Germany's Alternative for Germany, or AfD, won a widely predicted victory in last Sunday's election for the legislature of Sachsen-Anhalt, one of Germany's 16 federal states.
The traditional parties — Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Free Democrats and Greens — say they will continue to treat AfD as a 'right-wing extremist' group and refuse any coalition with it.
Immigration is the core issue. The piece says the AfD has surged in national polls because of its push to limit immigration. It also says the establishment has viewed immigration, including from Muslim countries in the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, as an economic boost for Europe.
But the source says voters have not been persuaded. In Germany, the foreign-born population rose from 8.1 million in 2014 to 13.4 million in 2022. It also says violent crime has soared and immigrant students have dragged down high school test scores.
The source adds that Germany's economy is under strain from high energy costs, while Chinese competitors threaten its auto industry. It argues the economic case for high immigration is in shambles.
Why it matters: Europe is still paying the price for elite immigration politics. When governments treat border limits as taboo, they also load pressure onto schools, policing and welfare systems. That is not a small debate. It is a test of whether voters or institutions get to decide the country's future.
The big picture: Germany is now the clearest example of a larger European fight. The question is not whether countries can welcome newcomers. It is whether they can control the pace, the scale and the cultural fit without being branded extremists.