Germany is currently experiencing challenging periods.
"Following the polls in Saxony and Thuringia, a party classified as far-right has secured the majority in the Thuringian state parliament, marking the first instance since the establishment of the Federal Republic. The construction of the administration is proving to be particularly challenging. Moreover, the populist BSW is witnessing significant progress in both states. Various international publications are weighing in on the election results."
"If Thuringia and Saxony had been situated in the west or if the voting had taken place in a western German state on Sunday, the results for the traffic light coalition likely would not have been any better," comments the Vienna-based "Standard". "The coalition in Berlin presents a dismal image. They have fallen out with each other, and the unappealing three-party alliance is only kept together due to voter apprehension. And then, just prior to the elections, the distressing incident in Solingen occurred. It exposed genuine flaws and emotions that neither former Chancellor Angela Merkel nor her successor Olaf Scholz comprehended: people are fearful," it continues. "The reassurances and facts from the Chancellor are meeting less and less resistance from fear. It is unclear how Scholz will navigate out of this predicament or rebuild trust."
"While the old continent is standing on the brink of a potential war and a democracy stroke, it is also dealing with an internal adversary," writes the Italian "La Repubblica". "The European institutional systems are being infiltrated. In Italy, France, and now increasingly overtly in Germany." The roots of Putinism are even starting to take hold in structured countries with a solid democratic heritage. "What occurred in the two German regions is the latest proof of this. The Kremlin now has its megaphones in the heart of Europe. Russia's President has achieved an extraordinary and unsettling political victory. The 'fascist' far-right AfD and the nostalgic left are, along with other European formations like the Rassemblement National in France or the Lega in Italy, his bases in the EU." Irresponsibility toward the conflict in Ukraine is being disguised by an apparently tranquil intent.
"'They feel like second-class Germans'"
"From the chaos of the two state elections, a different country emerges, a different Germany," writes the Italian "Corriere della Sera". In Erfurt and Dresden, a majority of the populace is entrusting its frustrations and disillusionments to two populist parties, "the nationalist and xenophobic far-right party AfD, as well as the neo-peronist hybrid party BSW, the political offspring of Sahra Wagenknecht, which combines pro-Russian pacifism, economic statism, and harsh anti-immigration policies," it continues. "The result verifies that, 34 years after reunification and despite billions of euros invested in the former GDR, a majority of the population in the two federal states has no loyalty to traditional parties. They do not endorse their decisions, do not comprehend their codes, perhaps do not even share their conception of democracy. They feel like second-class Germans or, even worse, foreigners in their own country."
The Wall Street Journal from New York comments about the state elections: "(...) The results of the parliamentary elections in Saxony and Thuringia on Sunday (...) add additional shock to a continent already unstable due to the decline of traditional parties and the upsurge of insurgents. (...)" The bigger problem is what the joint surge of AfD and the BSW indicates about the collapse of the governing parties in Germany. "It confirms what national polls have been indicating for over a year: voters are weary of Olaf Scholz and a coalition that cannot manage migration and is clinging to climate goals despite mounting and palpable economic harm." This leaves only the Christian Democrats (CDU and Bavaria's CSU) as the mainstream alternative to the insurgents. "One cannot blame German voters for becoming agitated with their dysfunctional governing parties. The fault lies with the established politicians who are moving too slowly and inward-looking while voter frustration escalates."
The Swiss Tages-Anzeiger remarks: "Broad majorities in eastern Germany do not desire to slow down irregular immigration, but halt it - and the supply of weapons to Ukraine as well. Both issues account for the triumph of the right-wing extremist AfD and the new populist 'cross-front' group led by Sahra Wagenknecht. Together, they capture nearly half of all votes in Thuringia." Both have succeeded in channelling the dissatisfaction with the government in Berlin to their advantage - more effectively than the principal opposition party in Germany, the CDU. "Nevertheless, it also belongs to the winners. Unlike the AfD, which remains isolated in its extremism, the CDU is the last party of the broad center, around which governments can still be formed in such conservative regions: in Saxony, Minister President Michael Kretschmer manages well against the AfD, in Thuringia Mario Voigt waves from the state chancellery - with challenging coalition negotiations to follow." For the SPD, the Chancellor's party, the first election day in the east is a disaster. "If the Social Democrats also crumble in Brandenburg in three weeks and their Minister President Dietmar Woidke loses power there, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's position will also be vulnerable. In view of the federal elections in a year, a revolt by the party against him cannot be ruled out."
Despite the concerns over the far-right gain in power in Thuringia and Saxony, the coalition in Berlin continues to struggle, facing internal discord and a three-party alliance that is seen as unappealing by many voters. This unfavorable image has been accentuated by recent events, such as the incident in Solingen, which has exposed deep-seated fears and emotions that the current government has yet to fully understand.
Following the election results, the Kremlin has managed to establish a foothold in the heart of Europe, with right-wing and nostalgic left parties in Germany and other European nations serving as its bases within the EU. This infiltration of European institutions is a concerning development, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Russia's apparent disregard for democratic principles.
