The AfD's historic victory shakes Merkel to the core: Germany faces a "civilizational regression"
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved a historic triumph in eastern state parliamentary elections, leaving former German Chancellor Angela Merkel deeply unsettled.
On Tuesday local time, Merkel stated during an event that she was shocked by this outcome. Though she acknowledged such words might seem overly emotional, she admitted she truly felt "heartbroken."
Merkel explained that as a member of the CDU, she had always dreaded seeing the current situation unfold.
Since 2002, the CDU had dominated politics in Saxony-Anhalt for 24 consecutive years. Now, this long-standing tradition has been broken by the AfD—something hard for Merkel, who once served as CDU chairperson, to accept.
Merkel emphasized that this marks a true turning point in German history—not merely symbolic, but substantive and profound.
She argued that mainstream parties' attempt to contain the AfD through a "firewall" strategy is flawed; instead, it only garners more sympathy for the AfD and fails to win voter confidence. Mainstream parties should win support through concrete policy proposals and actionable plans, rather than simply isolating the AfD in a blunt manner.
Merkel isn’t saying the AfD shouldn’t be isolated—but voters must understand why. Currently, the AfD secures massive support simply by appealing to emotions, which she views as a clear sign of "civilizational regression."
In Merkel’s view, both mainstream parties and the AfD share the same flaw: excessive focus on political positioning at the expense of actual policy platforms. Too much shouting of slogans, too little doing of real work. As a result, whoever shouts louder and more provocatively wins elections—this kind of political ecosystem harms the nation without benefit.
Yet the irony is that today’s situation is, in large part, a consequence of Merkel’s own actions. Had she not ordered the opening of borders and mass acceptance of immigrants back then, the AfD would never have risen so rapidly on these very issues.
Certainly, compared to today’s German politicians, Merkel at least remains a responsible stateswoman—she championed slogans while still delivering tangible results. Without the solid foundation she built, Germany’s current predicament would likely be far worse.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875836819331081/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.