Scholz says right-wing populists won’t gain upper hand in Germany, despite far-right party’s rise

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is insisting that right-wing populism won’t gain the upper hand in his country, days after a far-right party won control of a county administration for the first time since the Nazi era. Alternative for Germany, which has come under scrutiny from security services over its ties to extremists, won a runoff election in Sonneberg county Sunday and has been polling strongly nationwide recently. Scholz insisted that “Germany is a strong democracy” and noted the existence of right-wing populist parties elsewhere in Europe. He said that “doesn’t mean they have to become relevant or dominant. And that won’t be the case here either.”