Germany’s latest election results weren’t just a routine political shake-up. They were a warning shot, not just for the country’s ruling leftist coalition, but for establishment conservatives who have lost their backbone. Friedrich Merz’s CDU managed to scrape out a weak victory, but the real story is the meteoric rise of Alternative for Germany (AfD), which doubled its support and is now the second-largest party. That’s the strongest showing for a right-wing party in Germany since World War II—yet Merz and the CDU still refuse to work with them.

Why? Because the political establishment—whether in Germany, the U.S., or anywhere else in the West—would rather lose to the Left than win with the Right. They’d rather maintain their social standing at elite cocktail parties than implement policies that benefit the people. But as ordinary voters continue to reject the status quo, the establishment’s control over the narrative is slipping.

The Voters Are Speaking—But Is Anyone Listening?

This election was a complete rejection of Germany’s ruling left-wing coalition. The governing Social Democrats (SPD) suffered an embarrassing defeat, sinking to just over 16%—their worst performance since World War II. Their partners in the Green Party didn’t fare much better, winning just 12% of the vote. These results make one thing clear: Germans are fed up with the disastrous leadership of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his left-wing coalition.

The economy is in shambles. Germany’s GDP growth has stagnated, and many analysts warn the country is already in recession. Years of reckless energy policy have caused power prices to soar, thanks to the government’s decision to shut down nuclear plants while depending on unreliable renewables and, until recently, cheap Russian gas. Meanwhile, a flood of illegal immigration has led to increased crime, strained social services, and fractured cultural cohesion.

It’s no wonder voters abandoned the SPD and Greens in droves. But here’s what the mainstream media won’t admit—many of them didn’t simply switch to the CDU. A massive chunk of working-class Germans and young voters turned to the AfD, not because they’re “far-right,” but because they feel abandoned by the traditional parties.

And how did Germany’s political and media establishment respond? By smearing AfD voters as extremists. This is the same tired playbook we’ve seen in America, the UK, and across Europe. If you believe in enforcing immigration laws, securing borders, and ensuring economic prosperity, you’re suddenly labeled an “extremist.” If you think electricity should work when you flip a switch and food should be affordable, you’re a “populist demagogue.” But this strategy is wearing thin, and the rise of the AfD proves it.

The AfD Surge: More Than Just Protest Votes

What’s most striking about AfD’s rise is how much support it received from younger voters and blue-collar workers. In fact, nearly 40% of German workers are estimated to have voted for the AfD. That is devastating for the SPD, the party that was once the voice of the working class.

This is not just a temporary protest vote—it’s a fundamental realignment. Across the West, working-class voters are abandoning left-wing parties because those parties have abandoned them. Instead of focusing on jobs, wages, and security, today’s leftist elites are obsessed with radical climate policies, open borders, and endless foreign aid at the expense of their own citizens. Meanwhile, globalist economic policies have crushed domestic manufacturing, and working-class wages have stagnated while illegal migrants flood the labor market.

AfD is the only party talking about these things without flinching. They’ve called for stricter border controls, an end to the unchecked flow of asylum seekers, and energy policies that prioritize affordability over climate hysteria. And guess what? That message is resonating.

Yet instead of actually addressing these concerns, the political class is doubling down on demonization. The mainstream media is hysterically painting AfD as a “neo-Nazi” movement, even though the vast majority of its supporters are ordinary Germans who just want a functioning country. And while establishment conservatives like Merz are happy to borrow some of AfD’s rhetoric to win elections, they refuse to actually work with them. That’s not just cowardly—it’s political suicide.

The CDU’s Dilemma: A Right-Wing Coalition or More of the Same?

Now, Merz and the CDU face a crucial decision. They can stick with the same failing policies that led voters to reject the SPD-Green coalition, or they can embrace the right-wing policies that their voters actually want. But instead of considering a coalition with AfD, Merz has repeatedly ruled it out—because he fears the media backlash more than he fears betraying his own voters.

Here’s the truth: the CDU and AfD together could easily form a ruling majority. They could secure Germany’s borders, restore nuclear energy, lower taxes, and put the economy back on track. But Merz refuses to even entertain the idea because he doesn’t want to be labeled “far-right.”

So, what will he do instead? Likely some weak, watered-down version of conservatism that doesn’t actually solve Germany’s problems. He may seek an alliance with the Free Democrats (FDP) or other centrist parties, which will inevitably lead to compromises that gut any meaningful conservative reforms. And if he takes that route, AfD will keep growing—because voters are desperate for real solutions, not half-measures.

The lesson here is simple: if conservatives don’t deliver, voters will find someone who will. And right now, AfD is the only party in Germany unafraid to stand up for what the people actually want.

The Real Danger to Democracy

Liberal commentators love to wring their hands about the rise of “right-wing populism” in Germany, but what’s truly dangerous to democracy is the establishment’s refusal to acknowledge reality. When political elites dismiss legitimate concerns about immigration, crime, and economic hardship as “racist” or “extremist,” they don’t make those concerns go away. They fuel the very backlash they claim to fear.

Germany’s election results mirror a broader trend across the West: working-class and middle-class voters are rejecting globalist policies that prioritize elite interests over national well-being. Whether it’s Trump’s victories, Brexit, or the rise of nationalist parties across Europe, the message is the same—people want leaders who put their own country first.

The real question is whether so-called mainstream conservatives will finally listen, or if they’ll keep capitulating to the Left while calling their own base “extreme.” If Merz and the CDU choose the latter, don’t be surprised when AfD’s 20.5% turns into 30%—or more—in the next election.

Germany has a choice: real conservative reform or more of the same globalist decline. The people have spoken. The only question is whether their leaders will listen.