25-02-2025
German election is a lesson for Labour
The German election underlines a worrying advance for the far‑right Alternative für Deutschland (A country divided: Five key takeaways from the German election, 24 February). Yet the advance was checked a bit by an energetic campaign by Die Linke. It polled considerably better than predicted and led the polling among 18- to 24-year-olds, with the AfD second. When it comes to opposing Reform UK, such grassroots campaigns rather than grand statements from 10 Downing Street look a better FlettTottenham, London
'Like so many centrist campaigns before, the anti-immigrant campaigns of both centrist parties (CDU/CSU and SPD) did not win over any far-right voters' writes Cas Mudde (Germany has swung to the right. What does that mean for the country – and Europe? Our panel responds, 24 February). This should be a warning to Labour not to try to outdo the Tories and Reform UK on nasty migration policies, as it is unlikely to have the desired FeltonWistaston, Cheshire
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