European election tests an unpopular government and a scandal-hit far-right party in Germany
An unpopular government with a reputation for constant infighting
BERLIN — An unpopular government with a reputation for constant infighting. An economy stuck in a rut. A strong far-right party that has been embarrassed by its leading candidate and alienated its European allies. And a mainstream opposition still working on its recovery.
German politics are in a disgruntled, volatile state as the country's voters prepare to fill 96 of the 720 seats at the European Parliament on June 9, the biggest single national contingent in the 27-nation European Union.
It's the first nationwide vote since center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz took power in late 2021, ending the 16-year reign of center-right predecessor Angela Merkel. Her era was marked by often-consensual politics and a string of “grand coalition” governments between the traditional major parties of right and left.
That coziness, already tested during Merkel's time by a series of crises and the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is well and truly over.
“This European election is taking place in the context of an economic crisis, but also a government crisis, because the government… really has very low popularity ratings,” said Johannes Hillje, a Berlin-based political consultant. Voters are likely to use the vote to signal their discontent, he added.
Scholz says that “confidence is… the best remedy against extremism" in turbulent times. But his government hasn't generated much confidence.
The Social Democrat's coalition with the environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats has achievements to its name. Those include preventing an energy crunch after Russia cut off its gas supplies to Germany, extensive aid for Ukraine — though details of
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