AfD's breakthrough in Germany's east: Why voters turned to the far right

The far-right AfD party won a decisive victory in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt regional election, securing nearly 44% of the vote, raising questions about whether similar gains could occur elsewhere in Europe. Political scientist Benjamin Biard notes far-right parties have been progressing across Europe for 25 years, sometimes governing alone or in coalitions, as in Italy and Finland, while also influencing traditional parties' policies. Germany was long seen as immune due to its Nazi history. Biard attributes the AfD's appeal to fears of decline from globalization and German reunification's unequal benefits, particularly in the east, plus growing distrust of traditional parties and democratic institutions themselves.