, Columnist
Why German Angst Is a Worry for the World
If the economy doesn’t grow, battles about immigration, fairness and spending will only get worse.
Co-leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party Alice Weidel looks on during a press conference in Berlin on September 2, 2024.
Photographer: TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
Sunday’s electoral victory by the Alternative for Germany in Thuringia, the first by a far-right party in a regional German election post-World War II, is indicative of a country whose self-confidence is at a low ebb.
To keep fringe parties at bay and remain a dependable partner for international allies, the country desperately needs to rediscover its economic and political mojo. If not, a fretful Germany could become a problem for Europe and the world.