Political situation in Germany

Analysis: Europe should look more at Germany than at Trump

On Sunday, the East German states of Saxony and Thuringia go to local elections. The far-right AFD is expected to reap great success, and has been boosted by the suspected Islamist terrorist act in Solingen, which also caused the left to demand a stricter immigration policy, writes Jona Källgren for TV4 Nyheterna.

"A state led by the AFD - especially in Thuringia, where the party is considered more extreme than in the rest of Germany, would be a nightmare scenario for many."

The popularity of the far right and far left in former East Germany is fueled by residents' economic pessimism and sense of being left behind - despite statistics showing the exact opposite, write Maria Martinez and Rene Wagner for Reuters.

"In the last decade, output per capita has increased more in the East than in the West, unemployment has fallen in the East while it has risen in the West, and wage increases in the East have been greater."

What the success of the German right- and left-wing populists means for Europe is probably a bigger question than what a new term of office for Donald Trump in the US would mean, writes DN's Martin Liby Troein.

"When things go wrong in Germany, it affects all of Europe, history teaches us that."

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Pro-Russian parties move towards victory in German local elections

Pro-Russian parties in the three East German states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia look set to win local elections in September, Politico reports. The pro-Russian far-right party AFD looks like it could become the largest party in all three federal states.

The newly formed left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which wants to strengthen cooperation with Russia and Vladimir Putin, also appears to be gaining ground in several regions. In total, pro-Russian parties are expected to receive over 50 percent of the support in the federal states.

The pro-Russian parties, which can be found on both the right and the left, share opinions when it comes to the view of NATO and closer dialogue with Russia, among other things.