Germany and AfD.

Is this a genuine rise of the right wing vote or a bit like Ukip a one trick pony and only doing well due to Germany's leading parties (a bit like in the UK you could argue) ignoring the 'common voter' ?

Genuine rise. Very clever, the right fraction of the party has over the years orchestrated several coups to oust the moderates. Also, if you look at the voter statistics, they are often rather intelligent/well off people which is one thing that makes them slightly different to the other populist parties out there in Europe. Moreover, the middle ground is so squeezed at the moment, that they are the only party offering a kind of alternative for those who are traditionally more right in their views. If the CSU operated in the whole of Germany and not just Bayern it may well be a different story.

Leekbrookgull said:

Is this a genuine rise of the right wing vote or a bit like Ukip a one trick pony and only doing well due to Germany's leading parties (a bit like in the UK you could argue) ignoring the 'common voter' ?

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Could be either. They act like UKIP with embarrassing leadership issues (like Petry walking out of press conference this morning citing differences with Gautland and other leaders and now standing as an independent) but they are helped by the German electoral system so will have 90 odd seats in Bundestag; they also have a strong regional emphasis (2nd largest party in former East Germany) that will help enduring influence.

Problem for CDU is there is a vacuum post Merkel and SDP is busted flush; space for marginal parties to move into. Little noted fact in the media is that Left actually got more votes than Greens and added to their MPs.

Impossible to say how this will go. It is embarrassing for Germany, a country that likes to show stability and politically centralised unity. Merkel is a lot closer to exit door now.