Germany’s Far-Right Could Take Power for the First Time Since WWII

QUEDLINBURG, Germany — On mopeds built in the former East Germany, a historic election campaign is rolling through the country. For the first time since the Second World War, a far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), could form a state government. The election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt may change Germany—and with it, Europe. Voters are preparing for a vote that could break a decades-old political taboo. The AfD is currently leading in polls, raising the possibility that it will win enough seats to lead the state’s administration. The party’s supporters say they want a new direction. One campaign slogan translates to: “All of Germany should wake up, and we should become normal people again.” The phrase reflects a desire to move past the country’s post-war political consensus. If the AfD wins, it would mark a turning point in German politics. No far-right party has held state power in the country since the Nazi era. Analysts say the result could reshape national politics and send shockwaves through the European Union. The campaign’s use of East German mopeds is symbolic. It links the party’s message to the region’s history and its lingering frustrations with the reunification of Germany in 1990. Many voters in the east feel left behind by the economic changes that followed. The vote is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. The outcome is uncertain, but the stakes are clear: Germany may soon face a political reality it has not seen in nearly 80 years.