Both the ARD DeutschlandTrend from October 2025, in which the AfD caught up with the CDU/CSU for the first time with a high of 26% (+1), and the election results in the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia give cause for concern: parties on the right of the political spectrum were able to record significant increases in votes in numerous municipalities and regions. However, NRW is not alone in this development. In many European countries, nationalist, right-wing populist and Eurosceptic parties are gaining strength - be it in France, Italy, Sweden or the Netherlands.

What does this political shift to the right mean for the European Union and the idea of a united Europe? How will the political landscape change if more and more forces focus on demarcation, national interests and the weakening of common institutions? And is the European idea - based on solidarity, the rule of law and openness - in danger in the face of these developments?

We will address these pressing questions at the Bergson Academy together with Prof. Dr. Klaus Goetz, a proven expert in European politics and democracy research. We will take an analytical look at Europe-wide trends, discuss the causes of the shift to the right and ask how democracies can - and must - respond to this challenge.

Admission: 18:00

Start: 19:00

End: 20:30

Fair price ticket: 20€

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