Germany's rightward shift reflects Pennsylvania's Rust Belt realignment -- and Democratic failures with the working class

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

84% : " In Pennsylvania, Trump similarly tapped into a feeling of being left behind and promised to end "wokeism" and renew national pride, something that particularly resonated with men, polls showed. " READ MORE: These young voters have been sold on Donald Trump since childhood.
65% : People are tired of compromise, and that's why they're fascinated by Donald Trump.
62% : Economically, Cottbus is doing far better -- with trendy cafés, a charming central square, and a multi-million dollar infusion to transition the region from fossil fuels and create new jobs.
57% : In Pennsylvania last year, polling consistently showed the economy was the No. 1 issue for voters, but among Trump supporters, it was immigration.
54% : (Musk endorsed Trump, stumped for him throughout Pennsylvania, and hosted an X talk with him ahead of the U.S. election, too.)
51% : " Still, she understands how Germans eager for a shake-up look at Trump and see action, when in Germany, coalition governments can move slowly.
49% : " Not unlike the red wave ushered in as Trump was elected in November, the far-right party in Germany, Alternative for Deutschland (AfD), is poised to gain more seats in Brandenberg, the region encompassing Cottbus, than ever, and finish second overall in the country's Feb. 23 election.
47% : But we have to start by building relationships." Though alarmed by the AfD's gains, left-leaning voters across Germany expressed a healthy dose of confidence that their multi-party system and governance structure would not allow for the major changes Trump and Musk have deployed in the U.S. If polling holds, the AfD will finish with the second-most votes behind the CDU, but will be a minority opposition party -- if others observe their firewall pledge not to form a government with the AfD. "There's more respect for justice, more respect for the separation of powers, and also respect for the election here," said Werner Froemming, 71, a retiree who managed cultural institutions in Hamburg.
40% : The AfD has run a campaign focused on anti-elitism, the working class, and immigration -- issues that also helped bolster Trump in parts of Pennsylvania last year.
28% : Trump effectively, though without much evidence, tied fears around illegal immigration to the economy in a way that resonated with the electorate.
23% : The sentiments mirror Trump's campaign in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, where he almost unilaterally focused his rally speeches on curbing immigration, promising economic resurgence, and vowing to "Drill, baby, drill" when it came to fracking. " READ MORE: Democrats kept calling Trump a fascist, but these Pennsylvania voters thought he could help them pay the bills And the AfD, like Trump's recent campaign, dominates German social media -- often promoting misinformation that fuels its message, particularly with younger voters.
22% : While the parallels between Trump and the AfD's campaign are apparent, it's unclear if Trump has directly bolstered support for the German right-wing party, which has exhibited some anti-American sentiments.

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