German chancellor’s party suffers historic defeat
RTAPR 2023
German Voters Deal a Blow to Scholz's Coalition in Bavaria and Hesse Elections
Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Despite radical positions usually tending to repel voters, Germany has seen the dangerous rise of the right-wing illiberal AfD at a faster pace than most countries in Europe. Results from Sunday's state elections in Bavaria and Hesse show that ignoring the dangerous far-right party is a failed strategy. Unless German politicians succeed in finding the right message to neutralize AfD, Europe's stability may be endangered.
Right narrative
The claim that the AfD was merely an East Germany phenomenon is dead for good, as it has drained voters from all parties in Bavaria and Hesse. Given the unbalanced political offering in Germany since the conservative CDU/CSU shifted toward the center, it's easy to understand why anti-establishment right-wing parties are gaining ground amid a crisis of trust in established parties.