The shifting of the Overton window in Germany.

One note about the German election: to judge whether there has been a political swing to the left you don't look at the election result but what positions are now outside the Overton window.

The attached photo shows a 1998 front page of Germany's biggest newspaper. It reads: “Additional immigration to Germany is not bearable.” These words had been uttered by Gerhard Schröder, former Chancellor of Germany and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Such a position is now deemed to be far-right.

This wasn't an outlier. Here are other statements by formerly left-wing and centrists politicians that no politicians who isn't a member of the far-right AfD would dare to utter in 2021:

“The multicultural society is an illusion of intellectuals.” ― Helmut Schmidt (German Social Democratic politician and former Chancellor of Germany), 2004

“With a democratic society, the concept of multiculturalism is difficult to reconcile. Maybe in a very long term. But if you ask, where multicultural societies have so far worked, you can get very quickly to the conclusion that they only work there peacefully where there is a strong authoritarian state there. So, it was a mistake that we picked up at the beginning of the 60's guest workers from foreign cultures into the country.” ― Helmut Schmidt (German Social Democratic politician and former Chancellor of Germany), 2004

“At least since PISA [International Student Assessment] it is clear as day in Germany: before we can talk about fruther immigration we first need to improve the integration of the children of immigrants living here. [...] Here in Berlin-Kreuzberg, 40% of the immigrant youth have neither graduated nor any professional qualification.” ― Angela Merkel, 2002

“We will continue to demand the regulation and limitation of immigration.” ― Angela Merkel, 2003

“A nuclear power phase-out would be ridiculous.” ― Angela Merkel, 2008

“The approach to build a multicultural society and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other has failed, utterly failed.” ― Angela Merkel, 2010

“We must accept that the number of crimes committed by migrant youth is especially high.” ― Angela Merkel, 2011