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Why 2026 could be a milestone for Germany's AfD

42:41

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January 2, 2026

2025 was the most successful year yet for Germany's AfD, or Alternative for Germany. It came second in national elections and recently topped some opinion polls. Now in 2026, the party could win power in state elections for the first time. In this Berlin Briefing, Richard Walker and Matthew Moore analyze what could be another year of breakthroughs with Kate Brady of the Washington Post.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro 
01:01 
The AfD’s moment 
06:29 Banning a party 
08:19 2026 elections 
10:32 AfD in the East 
13:51 Major issues  
16:26 Latest polls 
17:30 AfD win scenario 
21:06 Conservative dilemma 
24:22 
Fragmentation 
26:08 AfD in government 
34:26 Wild cards 
37:21 Help 
from MAGA 
42:00 Outro 
 

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