Far-right gains and a broader demand for change have reshaped Germany’s political landscape. Elif Eralp, the 45-year-old daughter of Turkish political exiles, led the far-left Die Linke to a historic victory in Sunday’s Berlin municipal election. She now faces the challenge of delivering on pledges including a rent freeze and the nationalisation of private real estate companies. As in New York last year, affordable housing became a defining issue, aided by Die Linke’s highly effective social media campaign.
Die Linke’s success stood in stark contrast to the struggles of the Christian Democrats. The party not only lost control of the capital but, for the first time since World War II, failed to win enough support to enter a regional parliament.
Elsewhere, the Social Democrats limited their losses in Mecklenburg–West Pomerania, although the far-right Alternative for Germany gained votes.
Together, these results reflect a broader transformation. The shift may be linked to the winners and losers of globalisation, a generational divide, or a gender gap in which younger women move left while younger men turn toward the far right. The speed and depth of these political changes remain uncertain.
