The AfD’s Victory in Germany

Key Points:

• After World War II, Germany was divided into East and West, with East Germany under Soviet control and West Germany aligned with Western liberal democracies, adopting a "Never Again" doctrine that rejected a unique German national interest in favor of a broader European identity.
• In East Germany, national interests were aligned with Soviet priorities, while West Germany’s national policy was rooted in the liberal democratic values of NATO and the European Union, making any political advocacy for a distinct German national interest taboo.
• The recent electoral success of the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt, advocating closer ties with Russia, marks a significant departure from postwar norms and reflects generational shifts as memories of WWII and the Cold War fade.
• Although AfD’s victory is limited to one region and does not indicate a wholesale shift in German policy, it highlights the re-emergence of Germany as a nation pursuing its own interests, which unsettles allies, especially given the complex and potentially dangerous implications of closer German-Russian relations.
• The article stresses that while Germany’s historical sins must never be forgotten, the evolving political landscape is inevitable, and any major realignment with Russia would require significant geopolitical changes unlikely in the near future.