Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on course for a breakthrough, writes Andreas Krieg

Germany 's Vice President J.D. Vance was right to say that it is undemocratic to refuse to work with a party that represents a fifth of the population.

The populist right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on course for a breakthrough in Germany 's general election.

Voters have shifted to the right, but a government is prohibited by the “firewall”.

AfD is seen as part of a movement of similar parties critical of mass immigration making headway in many European countries.

Merkel 's CDU has realized that they must make a U-turn on Merkel ’s policies even though that means a confrontation with the dominant liberal forces in the mainstream media.

But the prospects of a real turning point at the election remain dim, says Alexander Merz .

The self-imposed firewall prevents the CDU from choosing coalition partners other than from the left.

Merz has promised reforms, but he will lack a partner to enact them.

The one -time economic powerhouse of Europe is on a downward trajectory.

It has been in a recession for two years and its industry has been declining much longer.