Matthew Karnitschnig is chief correspondent for the US Magazine „Politico“. He believes: “The AfD hasn’t destroyed Merkel’s legacy, the AfD is Merkel’s legacy. What happened in Thuringia offers a glimpse of the chaos that lies ahead for Germany’s political system.”  
 

 

Derek Scally is correspondent for the Irish Times. He thinks: „German politics has finally entered the 21st century but its politicians are too naive - or scared - to notice.“
 

 

 

Vendeline von Bredow writes for the „Economist“ and she believes: „Fragmenting politics and strong extremes are upending Germany’s traditional parties with the Social Democrats in even worse shape than Merkel's CDU.“