All right on the night: AfD’s victory

About this episode

<p><a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/09/06/the-alternative-for-germany-has-won-its-best-ever-election-result?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alternative for Germany</a> won an even larger share of the vote than expected in yesterday’s state election. What does the far-right nationalist party’s success mean for Germany and Europe? The climate case for limiting <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/08/20/fewer-contrails-would-be-good-for-the-climate?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">vapour trails</a> from aeroplanes. And why South Korean youths are turning to <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/07/09/how-south-korean-buddhists-are-trying-to-stay-relevant?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buddhism</a>. </p><br><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Tom Nuttall, Berlin bureau chief</li><li>Oliver Morton, planetary affairs editor</li><li>Soobin Kim, Korea writer</li><li>Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Topics covered: </p><ul><li>AfD, Alternative for Germany, Alternative für Deutschland</li><li>contrails, aviation, climate science</li><li>South Korea, Buddhism</li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribe to The Economist</em></a><em>.</em></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>