When asked about my opinion on German reunification, I usually respond that I think it is a good idea, and that we should do it. This is, of course, a joke, as Germany is now united with no official internal borders. However, 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the division between West and East Germany remains clearly visible, with the victory of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the state of Thuringia in Sunday’s state parliamentary elections a case in point. A quick glance at economic and social statistics tells us these divergences show no sign of disappearing in the near future.
