Feb 24, 2025 08:33 PM IST
Germany’s CDU/CSU is poised to form a government after elections, with rising support for the far-right AfD, reflecting a shift towards conservative policies.
Germany’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) are set to form the government following Sunday’s election, whose results also show a surge in support for the far-right, populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), with one in five Germans voting for it. To be sure, this is contingent on the CDU/CSU managing to form a coalition, with the most likely partner being the SPD (the Social Democrats) which came in third. AfD came in second, with its strong showing fuelled by young voters amid growing concerns about migration and Germany’s asylum policy, especially at a time when United States-Europe relations have been dealt a body blow by the policies of US President Donald Trump. The AfD, parts of which are officially classified as right-wing extremist, doubled its vote share.
The result points to a shift on the ground in favour of conservative agendas, such as anti-immigration policies and climate scepticism. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the German economy, which has stagnated for the past two years, a weak manufacturing sector, lone wolf attacks by immigrants and the influx of refugees have all become contentious issues that the liberals and centrists failed to address convincingly.
The man expected to be Germany’s next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will now have to engage in delicate negotiations to put together the next government while keeping the far-right forces at bay. The next government of Europe’s largest economy and most populous country will also have to contend with the disruptive policies of the US, which are upending decades of gains from American security guarantees. Trump’s overtures to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin too have exacerbated European security concerns and it is no wonder that Merz is talking about Europe achieving “independence” from the US.
The growing support for far-right forces in Germany, France and other European countries shows the momentum has changed towards the right. Read with Italian Prime Minister (PM) Giorgia Meloni’s remarks, who clubbed herself, Trump and PM Narendra Modi in the same basket and portrayed them as nationalists under attack from liberals, the contours of the axis of global right politics become clear — national self-interest seems to be the defining trait. This could be significant geopolitically. For starters, India may have to prepare for a more inward-looking Europe, at a time when the US is increasingly turning protectionist and ceding its central role on the global stage.
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