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The political lights are turning black in Germany. The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has just won a historic victory in the regional elections on 1er September. The party won 30.2% of the vote in Saxony and 32.8% in Thuringia, where it became the leading party in the state. This had not happened in the federal state since the Second World War. A new far-left party, the pro-Russian and anti-immigration Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, also made an unexpected breakthrough in Saxony and Thuringia.
Björn Höcke is the charismatic figure of the AfD, a small local party that made the migration crisis from Syria in the mid-2010s its launching pad. A revisionist through and through, the man calls in particular for a turnaround on Germany’s duty to remember the Nazi period. He is one of the architects of the growing radicalization of the AfD, a party that was originally simply anti-euro. Björn Höcke electrifies crowds at meetings where he delivers tough political messages amid light personal remarks.
The Bad Business of Withdrawal
While the AfD has now risen to the rank of the second party in Germany, powerful German companies are opposing its intolerant doctrine. There are around forty family firms that have campaigned against extremism. With their slogan “Made in Germany, made by diversity”, these firms of the German Mittelstand are joining the fight against the AfD in particular. Focused on exports, they see in national preference and identity withdrawal only economic decline.
These companies include tractor manufacturer Claas, household appliance group Miele, chainsaw manufacturer Stihl, and most importantly, Vorwerk, the inventor of the Thermomix, whose movement was started by Timm Mittelsten Scheid, a family member and board member. The robot that made the brand’s fortune is also made in France. Two years ago, its CEO Thomas Stoffmehl had already expressed concern about the future attractiveness of France in the context of the rise of the National Rally.
La Story is a podcast from Les Echos presented by Pierrick Fay. This episode was recorded in September 2024. Editor-in-chief: Clémence Lemaistre. Guest: Emmanuel Grasland (correspondent from Les Echos in Berlin)). Director: Willy Ganne. Production and publishing manager: Michèle Warnet. Music: Théo Boulenger. Graphic identity: Upian. Photo: Ronny HARTMANN/AFP. Sounds: Euronews, Gigi D’Agostino “L’Amour toujours” (2000), France 24, Björn Höcke.
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