Germany’s ‘traffic light’ coalition collapsed in November, triggering an upcoming snap election in February. Many fear the rise of the radical AfD, and Germany faces an uncertain future as the election approaches.

A challenge to cohesion for a geopolitical vision across Europe and the west is populism. Left-wing populism is unfamiliar in its origins and topicality for those who seek to understand this issue. In Germany, leftist populism has found sureness and lucidity against the liberal world order to the benefit of Russia.