| Germany, famous for its careful political culture, has long resisted the rise of populism. But with two state elections looming and the far-right at an all-time high, ever more parties, including the mainstream ones, are tapping into populist rhetoric. West Germany was one of the few countries in the world on which the USA and its Western allies successfully imposed democracy. When Communism collapsed 33 years ago, the East joyfully acceded to the federal republic. Ever since the Nazi regime, Germans have been painfully conscious of the power of rousing political oratory designed to stoke fears and division. After all, Adolf Hitler didn’t gain power with brute force alone but was carried by bourgeois and middle-class citizens inflamed by his roaring speeches. Small wonder then that populist rhetoric and strong leaders have not been the mainstay of modern-day German politics. German political parties tend to be known for Merkelian understatement rather than firebrand speeches. But with the rise of far-right AfD and under the pressure of rising inflation, mass migration, and the looming impositions of climate protection, this era of propriety – it appears – has come to an end. The AfD, currently polling second, is the indisputable leader in poisoning the political landscape, raging against the “climate cult” and “devious” political opponents, and labelling rescue-at-sea NGOs as “smuggling support squads” on every possible occasion. But German mainstream parties, too, have recently lowered the standards of political debate. Ahead of two state elections in Hesse and Bavaria on Sunday (8 October), marking a mini-midterm election, this has reached a new level. | 
