Germany After the Election: Rightward Shift, Left-Wing Surge, and the Battle Over the ICC

As Germany's new chancellor Merz backs Netanyahu against the ICC and the far-right AfD hits historic highs, a left-wing resurgence mounts its strongest challenge to Germany’s establishment in years.

Germany’s election results signal a breaking point. The far-right AfD made chilling gains, surpassing 20%, while Die Linke – alone in refusing to throw minorities under the bus – scored a historic win, emerging as the strongest political force in Berlin.

The conservative CDU/CSU surged to nearly 29%, while the Social Democrats (SPD) collapsed to their w…