Damian Boeselager: Why the German political establishment is losing ground

Boeselager, a founder of the Volt party, argues that the AfD’s rise is not an accident but a symptom of a society grappling with the reality of an aging population. With real wages stagnating and wealth increasingly tied to inheritance rather than labor, voters are experiencing a profound sense of insecurity. He contends that Germany’s reliance on century-old industrial models, coupled with a lack of support for modern innovation, has left the country vulnerable to populist narratives that promise a return to a "Germany first" economic model.

The political response from traditional parties, particularly the CDU under Friedrich Merz, is failing to provide a credible alternative. Boeselager describes the current strategy of mirroring anti-migration rhetoric as a fundamental error that neglects the complexities of integration, labor needs, and internal security. By failing to offer a clear, positive vision for the future, the establishment leaves a vacuum that the AfD fills with anger and scapegoating. According to Boeselager, the tendency of coalition governments to prioritize compromise over decisive reform only deepens the public’s feeling of neglect, further driving the electorate toward extreme political options.