Bavaria holds one of the most consequential elections — and if you think it doesn’t affect you, think again. In this quick update, Claudia from Over Here, Over There breaks down why the federal election — and Bavaria’s role in it — matters far beyond Europe’s borders. From the rise of the far right and the AfD, to inflation, the war in Ukraine and Iran, energy crisis, and migration — the questions Bavarian voters faced are the same ones shaking democracies everywhere right now. Are voters angry enough, yet still comfortably enough to go radical? Or scared enough to play it safe? The answer will give you an indication where your country is headed: A litmus test for the future of politics.

Claudia Koestler is Senior Editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany's largest quality newspaper, and is co-host of the 'Over Here, Over There' podcast.