Analysis

August 29, 2024

“Lost in the 1930s” — rise of the far right rattles east German startups ahead of elections

With elections looming in Saxony and Thuringia, business owners reflect on what a far right win could mean for startups


Dresden, the capital of city in Saxony where elections take place on Sunday

Voters in the east German states of Saxony and Thuringia will be heading to the polls on Sunday to elect new state governments — and some startups are concerned about the prospect of Germany’s far right party Alternative Für Deutschland (AfD) gaining even more influence. 

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Christiane Killian, chairperson of STIFT
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Miriam Partington

Miriam Partington was a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covered the DACH region and the future of work, and wrote Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup.

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