The far right’s victory in a German regional election this weekend has offered an early warning of how Europe’s energy crisis could reshape politics ahead of major elections in France and Italy next year.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the strongest party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Sunday, extending a run of electoral gains that has shaken Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s governing coalition. Its success comes as nationalist and far-right parties across Europe seek to turn soaring fuel and energy costs into an electoral weapon.
