Alice Weidel: Diary of Madwoman.

At first glance, Alice Weidel seems like a character at odds with the Alternative for Germany's policies. She is gay with a female Sri Lankan partner so given the party's often anti - LGBTQ/immigrant rantings how did this occur? Some within the AFG (or AfD in Germany) are anti-feminist, so how did a mere female (not my words) become the leader of the party? Also, she is German-born but commutes from Switzerland. So, technically she is Swiss so you have a foreigner as leader. Despite all these things that surely contradict the edicts of the party, she is their candidate for chancellor. When asked about all these contradictions, Mr. Gauland, a prominent figure within the party seems to brush all this under the carpet. They gloss over their hypocrisy by saying Alice is married (to a woman ). She has two kids and that fits the party's decrees on family values (really?).

Nevertheless, Ms. Weidel (or should that be Frau?) has risen in the party's ranks. She has attracted popular support amongst Germany's voters. Germany's economy is failing, there are food banks, poverty, homelessness, and the cost of living. Sound familiar with what's going on in the rest of the world. Especially, in my nation the UK? It's this situation that led to Trump winning the White House, and Giorgia Meloni becoming Prime Minister of Italy. So you see folks, we see a pattern here, disenfranchised folks feeling left behind and not being listened to. Social and economic factors bear down on the poorest and the most vulnerable. Disillusionment over the society they struggle in and the establishment parties. So the establishment parties adopt the policies of the far-right.

In the UK, now there is a battle for the toughest on immigration/migration. The Tories under Kemi Badenoch say they will be tough on the above. Of course, we have the UK equivalent of the AfD in Reform UK. Led by Nigel Farage who says they will be radical on this subject. Keir Starmer set out to be tough on immigration and migration. So it appears to be with flights daily flying out foreigners with no right to be here. Raids on establishments employing illegals working illegally under the radar.

In Germany, the Christian Democrats are in the lead and the AfD is second. Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD is expected to be kicked out of office. Frederich Merz, 69, is expected to be the next Chancellor of Germany. Merz earned support in the Bundestag (Germany's Parliament) over a migration bill that passed. It passed because the Christian Democrats received support from the Alternative for Germany Party. Mr. Merz, like many other German politicians, however, has refused to go into coalition with Weidel.

Germany is well aware of all nations of the dangers of electing a far-right extremist party. The Nazi era and the destruction it brought on so many and on Germany itself, is not forgotten. And yet, there you have it, a far-right party rising to the top with a charismatic leader Alice Weidel. 10, 20, 30, 40, or 5o, years ago the thought of a party like the AfD on the cusp of power would have been laughed at. Given the Nazi past of history, the thought of another far-right party rising in popularity would have been abhorrent. Of course, in unlikelihood, the AfD will never see power. However, the establishment parties like the Christian Democrats probably be the next government of Germany will adopt some of its policies.

Mr. Merz is centre-right and will undoubtedly, be tough on immigration. Unless of course, it is all a ruse, to gain power. Politicians say a lot of things to get themselves elected. When in power they go back on, water down, or find they cannot do what they said, they would do. Merz said he is the man, who could do business with Trump. Not unlike, what Maggie Thatcher said about Gorbachev.

All German parties have supported Ukraine against Russia. Under the AfD this would end and they would want better relations with Putin. No surprise there as many right-wing parties align with Putin. As for Netanyahu, the Godfather of Jewish fascism the AfD is favourable to him too. This aligns with Trump who seems to delight in making friends and pacts with dictator-like figures like Netanyahu and Putin. So in a nutshell, that says it all really.

Of course, Die Linke and other far-left parties are expected to do well too. In desperate times it's not just far-right parties that earn support, the far-left does as well. Many will vote for Die Linke (The Left) because of the issues facing ordinary Germans. Not unlike those voting for the AfD.

So Germany like many Western nations is going through something of a crisis. Historically, extremist parties right or left, rise in popularity. With the establishment parties not doing the job they were elected to do, that's the reason extremist parties rise. Some even formed governments either by the ballot box or through revolution. So what happens in Germany will be interesting to see and whether for good or bad, it is the choice of the German folk.