The mystery surrounding local elections in Germany’s North Rhine–Westphalia has deepened, with seven Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) candidates now confirmed dead shortly before the vote. While authorities insist there is no evidence of foul play, the unusual string of sudden deaths has fuelled speculation and placed extraordinary strain on election preparations ahead of the 14 September ballot.
Germany’s CDU has distanced itself from MP Saskia Ludwig after she briefly greeted AfD co-chair Alice Weidel at MCC Feszt in Hungary. The party reaffirmed its strict ban on cooperating with the right-wing AfD, saying Ludwig’s actions were unauthorized and incompatible with CDU policy.
Viktor Orbán, JD Vance, and Marco Rubio were among those who criticized the decision by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency to officially designate Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) as a ‘proven right-wing extremist’ party. The ruling grants the BfV expanded surveillance powers against what is currently the largest party in Germany.
Just as before the 2022 parliamentary elections, the European Parliament’s rule of law mission visited Hungary this week. However, there are some crucial differences this time: not a single right-wing political group is represented in Tineke Strik’s delegation, and opposition leader Péter Magyar and his party are now openly and admittedly working against the interests of the Hungarian people.
Alternative für Deutschland reaches record-high support, matching the election-winning CDU, according to an INSA–Bild poll published on Monday. The surge comes as Germany’s soon-to-be Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, faces backlash for turning on his own voters on key issues such as migration and fiscal policy.
However, a ballot initiative calling for a state constitutional amendment requiring photo IDs for elections also passed in the important swing state of Wisconsin.
Friedrich Merz’s CDU was declared the winner of Germany’s early elections on Sunday, securing 28.5 per cent of the vote. However, the true victor of the election is undeniably the AfD, which nearly doubled its support and reshaped the long-standing political landscape of the EU powerhouse.
The chancellor candidates from Germany’s four largest parties clashed in a fiery debate on Sunday. While the mainstream parties remained stuck in their old, demonizing narratives, AfD’s Alice Weidel displayed energy and determination, reinforcing why Viktor Orbán called her and her party the ‘future of Germany’.
Senior Fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights and top contender to be the next US Ambassador to Hungary Bryan Leib has recently been interviewed by the Hungarian state television M1. In the interview, he covered a wide array of important topics, such as a potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia with Hungarian involvement, illegal immigration, and more.
With just ten days remaining until the most significant elections in Germany’s post-WWII history, the country has been struck by yet another terror attack committed by an Afghan migrant. According to police, the 24-year-old asylum seeker drove a car into a group of pedestrians in Munich, injuring at least 28 people. In response, Alternative für Deutschland’s Alice Weidel called for a ‘migration turnaround’.