Europe is looking to Germany for leadership – but these elections will dash its hopes again | Cas Mudde

Angela Merkel had become a symbol of liberal democracy in the era marked by the first Trump administration.

Today , Germany is a country struggling with itself, increasingly sidelined in Europe and the world.

Under Merkel ’s successor, Olaf Scholz , the country has become as pale and uninspiring as the chancellor himself.

The election will not usher the far right into power, even if the AfD continues to pull both major parties to the right.