Traditional parties in Germany are under increasing pressure as voters question their trustworthiness, after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged in a recent state election, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV).
The AfD party secured a record 43.8 percent of the vote in Sunday's state election in Saxony-Anhalt, making it the biggest party in the state parliament and delivering a major blow to traditional parties, particularly the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Professor Julia Reuschenbach of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Hamburg told CCTV that the AfD's broad appeal reflects deep-seated concerns among certain segments of society.
"Across Germany, we see various reasons people support the AfD. In regions with structural weaknesses, where economic growth is sluggish, the population is aging, and density is low, this tendency is especially pronounced. We observe extremely high support for the party among these groups. While many feel personally secure, they believe the country's overall situation is dire. In other words, they fear Germany will not be able to maintain its current status," said Reuschenbach.
Immigration has also moved to the forefront of German politics in recent years, with debates over the scale of arrivals, integration challenges, and pressure on public services fueling voter anxiety. Many criticize traditional parties for failing to address these concerns adequately.
Experts, however, also noted that although the AfD has become the largest party in Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, it has not won the absolute majority needed to form a government on its own, and the future government formation still faces complex political maneuvering.
The election results have sounded a warning bell for Germany's traditional parties, and the federal government needs better to explain its policies and the rationale for advancing reforms.
"The core issue uniting AfD voters is immigration policy. Reform is necessary. When people talk about the need to better explain reforms, it's about more than just communication. The government must make clear why these reforms are imperative, what goals are being pursued, and what kind of future is envisioned through them," said Reuschenbach.
With slow economic growth, rising living costs, and ongoing disputes over migration, many Germans have lost trust in traditional parties, fueling the AfD's rapid rise in recent years. The outcome has reshaped the country's political landscape, forcing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government to grapple with the urgent challenge of winning back disaffected voters.
German traditional parties face voter trust test: expert
China's first two-tonne-class tethered balloon entered trial operation in a major power transmission project on Monday, providing a brand-new solution for transportation in power grid construction projects in high-altitude and ecologically sensitive areas, according to the State Grid.
The project is a massive ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission line that will carry clean energy from Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China across thousands of kilometers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China.
At the construction site, a large balloon with a diameter of 25 meters and a volume of 8,000 cubic meters slowly rose into the air.
As multiple mooring lines were simultaneously extended and retracted, the heavy construction materials suspended beneath the balloon were lifted off the ground and moved smoothly along a predetermined route toward the mountainous work site.
"This is our newly developed load-bearing tethered balloon. We have just completed a maximum load test of two tonnes at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Next, we will conduct a hoisting operation for power supply materials over a straight-line distance of 500 meters and a vertical drop of 120 meters," said Qin Jian, researcher at the Transmission and Transformation Engineering Technology Research Institute of the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute.
A heavy-lift tethered balloon involves launching a helium-filled balloon into the air and connecting it to the ground with one or several cables.
By adjusting the cable, the balloon's altitude and horizontal position are controlled to facilitate the transport of materials at high altitudes.
The balloon can travel up to 800 meters and carry a maximum load of two tonnes, with a positional accuracy of within 0.5 meters.
As the construction of new power grids is extending more rapidly into high-altitude, remote mountainous and ecologically sensitive areas, the transportation of materials for transmission projects has become a major challenge constraining construction progress.
Traditional road construction for transportation have long cycles and significant ecological disruption, while drones, though agile and flexible, face limitations in scenarios requiring heavy loads or prolonged continuous transport.
Tethered balloon transport technology effectively overcomes these difficulties.
"The construction section where this technology is applied is located in an uninhabited mountainous area at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. Many tower sites are situated on steep ridges inaccessible by road, making this the section with the highest altitude, most treacherous terrain and most challenging operations in the entire project. The two-tonne tethered balloon is better suited to high-altitude conditions characterized by thin air and strong winds, and its load capacity and stability can better meet transportation requirements," said Feng Tao, project manager of the State Grid Henan Power Transmission and Transformation Company.
China puts first 2-tonne tethered balloon into operation
