Wolfgang Munchau: Germany's politics will change Europe

The Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) has achieved a political earthquake in Saxony-Anhalt, securing nearly 44% of the vote and signaling a fundamental shift in German governance. This result exposes the failure of the long-standing "firewall" strategy, which sought to isolate the party but instead fueled its growth by keeping it outside the mainstream political process. Unlike previous populist movements, the AfD is gaining significant traction among younger generations who feel alienated by a stagnant economy and a pension system that disproportionately favors the elderly. Wolfgang Munchau, an UnHerd columnist, notes that this success reflects deep-seated frustration with Germany’s industrial decline and lack of economic growth. If this trend persists across Europe, with similar right-wing gains in France and Italy, it poses an existential threat to the European Union’s ability to function and maintain its core policy objectives.