Ulrich Siegmund, the winner of the German regional elections, and the Simson Schwalbe, a moped that was once Jewish, then Nazi, and then Communist. In Italy, there would be Fantozzi’s Bianchina.

Why the defence industry is struggling on the stock market following the AfD’s first victory. The far-right’s success in Saxony-Anhalt is putting pressure on the rearmament drive championed by Merz, whilst Germany attempts to offset the crisis in the automotive and manufacturing
sectors with military contracts

Who has written to the editor-in-chief, Claudio Cerasa

To secure an absolute majority of seats in Magdeburg, the AfD will need the support of the ‘red-brown’ BSW. The same could happen following the 20 September elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Who are their voters and what do they have in common?

The appeals from various churches, from the Catholic to the Evangelical, to counter Alternative für Deutschland, have come to nothing. The risk of political ‘retaliation’ is extremely high

The League leader against the secretary of Forza Italia: “Is the AfD’s victory a problem for him? It’s called democracy.” Awkwardness within FdI. Meloni remains silent. Bignami: “The popular vote must be respected. The two deputy prime ministers? They belong to different political families in Europe.” Vannacci: “The League is inconsistent: two years ago they ousted the AfD, and today Salvini is praising them. I’m increasingly convinced I did the right thing in leaving the party.”

Faced with imminent danger, we tend to quickly seek a common course of action, ruling out more nuanced responses. The result? Just when we need rationality most, we become more vulnerable to the shortcuts that undermine it

The election in Saxony-Anhalt is an important test not only to gauge support for the AfD but also to assess the effectiveness of the defences against the extremist pincer movement – from both the right and the left – that fuels anti-Semitism. A double test for the future of Germany and indeed of Europe 

The far-right party has secured over 44 per cent of the vote, whilst the CDU has plummeted below 20 per cent. The formation of the next government will be a nail-biting finish.

According to initial projections, the far-right party is expected to exceed 40 per cent. The CDU is predicted to fall below 20 per cent.