1. Insight podcast
19 February 2025

Did JD Vance boost Germany’s far right?

This weekend the EU’s most populous country heads to the polls.

By


Last Friday the US Vice President – JD Vance, took to the stage and railed against his country’s European allies, accusing them of not listening to voters on issues of migration and free speech. That speech raised serious questions about how the transatlantic alliance will be transformed. 

But Vance also called into question the “democracy” of the firewall. In Germany, there has long been an agreed firewall against the far right. That centrist parties will not collaborate with them, to prevent far right groups from getting in to power. 

This weekend Germany will head to the polls, and currently the far right populist – Alternative fur Deutchland or AfD are polling at around 20%. Could Germany’s far right break through the firewall? 

Kate Lamble is joined by Hans Kundnani and Annette Dittert.


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