Skip to main content

Unlock full access to The Spectator

Subscribe today and get your first 3 months for just $5. No commitment – cancel any time.

SUBSCRIBE

Sign In

UNLOCK ACCESS $5 for 3 months

Home
Podcasts
Writers
Newsletters
Events
Club
Briefings

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Podcasts
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Events
- Club
- Briefings
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

22 Feb 2025

Coffee House
Politics
Economy
World
Culture
Life
Magazine

Sign In

UNLOCK ACCESS $5 for 3 months

Sign In

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Podcasts
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Events
- Club
- Briefings
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

22 Feb 2025

From the magazine

Cartoons

Sustainable growth

The Spectator

Share
Share

The Spectator

Sustainable growth
Linkedin

Messenger

Email

The AfD will be a thorn in Merz’s side

Alice Weidel, the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, didn’t mince her words. Speaking immediately after the German federal election on national television in Berlin on what’s known as ‘the leaders round’, she claimed that the mainstream conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) merely won a ‘pyrrhic victory’. Its head, Friedrich Merz, had no real