Election Day: Germany after Ampel and Brandmauer

A new parliament is being elected in Germany today. Early elections have become necessary following the break-up of the so-called Ampel coalition. Angela Merkel's party (CDU/CSU) is considered the favourite. Its leading candidate Friedrich Merz even made it onto the cover of ‘The Economist’. Merz turns 70 this year and caused a stir when he voted with the right-wing populist AfD in parliament at the beginning of the year.

Many people in Germany see this as a breach of the ‘Brandmauer’ - a defence against cooperation with the far right. Several hundred thousand people demonstrated against this policy. Nevertheless, Friedrich Merz's party is ahead of the AfD party in the polls.

The ‘German John Oliver’ Jan Böhmermann has summarised the shift to the right in Germany in a commentary for the New York Times.