Onkel Pim

AfD reaching almost 30% is the result of Germany’s own strategic failures. Its agenda is pure populism: blame the EU — while ignoring that Germany has been the biggest beneficiary of the European economic order. In 2025, Germany accounted for around 21.1% of all intra-EU goods exports — by far the largest share of any member state Inside the single market, Germany is the central trade hub: it appears among the top four intra-EU export partners of 25 EU countries, more than any other member state. And without the euro, Germany’s national currency would certainly be much stronger, driven by its persistent current account surplus, low debt and lower risk premium — making German exports far less competitive. Add higher trade barriers with its main customers — EU countries — and Germany’s export model would face exactly the shock the EU has helped it avoid. The single market, the euro, Eastern enlargement, EU trade policy and continental supply chains all reinforced German export power. Yet AfD campaigns against the same European system that made Germany powerful. The irony is even bigger on energy. Germany’s economic crisis did not come from “too much Europe.” It came from bad German policy: shutting nuclear, relying on cheap Russian gas, underinvesting in energy infrastructure, keeping fiscal policy too tight for too long, and then being exposed when Russia weaponised energy. Before the war, Russia supplied around 55% of Germany’s gas and roughly 45% of EU gas imports. Going back would not be sovereignty. It would be repeating the mistake.