I think it’s a good example of what happens when you give power to a center-right liberal establishment. Angela Merkel appears to have been the guiding hand keeping the tiller from pulling too far right. Now that she’s out of the picture, the establishment is having a hard time managing its image. Merkel was great at engaging in rabid corporatism while presenting Germany as a voice of reason and ethical governing in Europe.

Without a strong leader to whip the gears of government in the same direction, the inherent bureaucracy in the German system is going to lead to gridlock that makes the whole government seem inept. Which of course leaves the far right space to breed among the contempt of the people. It’s beginning to feel a lot like we are beginning to collect the same spectre of problems that led to the fall of the Weimar Republic.