The center-right liberal (not US liberal, classical) Free Democratic Party took control of the state govt with support of the Alternative für Deutschland. Why care? Thread. 1/n

The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is a radical right wing party. For years there has been an unwritten rule that major and mainstream parties would not work with the AfD. This has effectively kept them out of government. 2/n

This is a party that preaches nationalism and hate, which is something every country is concerned about, but none so much as Germany. Most Germans are acutely aware of their own history, and never want the country to succumb to these kinds of politics again. 3/n

The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) didn’t have the seats to control the state government. It was expected that The Left (DL), a democratic socialist party that had been in power since the last election would run a minority govt. 4/n

This morning the FDP and CDU broke the unwritten rule and decided that government control was most important. They accepted AfD support. 5/n

This is concerning for a number of reasons, but most importantly because it normalizes and legitimizes the AfD. To fall back on an Americanism, you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. 6/n

This is a terrifying step towards greater radical right participation in government in Germany. When the radical right has already taken control of govt in the US, the UK, and Italy, and has gotten close in France and the Netherlands, we should all be concerned. 7/7

I forgot to mention Brazil as being controlled by the radical right. I apologize for my northern hemisphere bias.