Wed Sep 04 03:48:22 UTC 2024: – The far-right party AfD won the state of Thuringia in Germany’s regional elections with 32.8% of the vote, marking the first time a far-right party has won since World War II
– The east-west divide in Germany is deepening, with eastern Germans feeling overlooked and dismissed by their western counterparts
– The AfD has tapped into historical grievances in the east, such as economic inequalities and perceived neglect from Berlin
– Economic disparities between east and west Germany still exist, with lower private wealth, pension insurance, and income in the east
– Immigrant workers are filling a workforce void in the east, contributing significantly to the region’s GDP
– Easterners feel policies focused on climate change and integration are elitist and imposed by the western-dominated government
– The AfD’s far-right stance has not deterred voters in the east, with the party labelled as “right-wing extremist” by security services
– The party’s emergence has shifted German politics to the right, resulting in tightened immigration laws and deportation of Afghan nationals.

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