Germany's Main Parties Blew It. Here's How.
Simon Whistler • September 28, 2026
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Note: this transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or inconsistencies.
In British journalism, there's one sign above all else that a political figure's time has come. A photo of them sitting stone-faced in the back of their car through tinted windows, usually looking incredibly unflattering.
The tradition got started with Margaret Thatcher after she lost a vote of no confidence in her party, but has carried on with Theresa May, Prince Andrew, and most recently Keir Starmer, all when they were on their way out.
The German press has caught on, and the latest addition to this exclusive club is Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and it's not hard to see why. He and his party, despite winning last year's elections, have been in free fall ever since. More recently, three separate state elections this month all resulted in terrible news for Merz.
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About this briefing
The CDU and SPD spent two decades deferring hard choices on energy, debt, and migration. Each delay bought short-term comfort — and delivered voters to the AfD.