Germany's far-right eyes election win

+ Tracing endometriosis to ancient times

Europe Edition - Today's top story: Is Germany’s far right AfD about to take over a state government for the first time? September 3, 2026 Europe Edition   The German far-right may be about to take control of a state government for the first time since the second world war. Polling has the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party poised to win around 40% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt’s parliamentary election on Sunday. Its closest competitor, the Christian Democratic Union, is expected to take just 23%. Ed Turner, an expert on German politics at Aston University, outlines the AfD’s possible path to power in this piece and sets out how the party plans to govern if it secures an outright majority. Some proposals, such as ending the right to asylum, could not be implemented in Saxony-Anhalt. Other pledges, including changing the school curriculum to downplay the significance of the Nazi era, are more of a possibility. Endometriosis affects nearly 190 million women worldwide. Despite being recognised as a distinct medical entity only relatively recently, women have been reporting its symptoms since ancient times. But frequent misdiagnoses and the labelling of women’s complaints as “hysteria” masked the true physiological nature of the illness for centuries. And in a new collaborative series with Videnskab.dk, we have explored what the UK and Denmark can learn from each other when it comes to health and wellbeing. The first piece looks at which country gets more health for their money.   Sam Phelps Commissioning Editor, International Affairs, London   Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, campaigns in Naumburg, Germany, on August 24. Hannibal Hanschke / EPA Is Germany’s far right AfD about to take over a state government for the first time? Ed Turner, Aston University The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is poised to top the poll in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.   Endometriosis: a long-ignored disease, despite symptoms that can be traced back to ancient times Nadjib Mohamed Mokraoui, Inserm; Université Paris-Saclay Endometriosis is an age-old condition and yet until recently, the complex disorder remained largely overlooked due to medical and social perceptions of women’s pain. Denmark versus UK: which country gets more health for their money? Subhash Pokhrel, Brunel University of London Both countries offer universal healthcare, but Danes live nearly two years longer than Britons. Here’s why. A black fungus is thriving in the midst of Ireland’s whiskey boom – we need to know more about it Jenny Lawler, Dublin City University The fungus appears to feed on the airborne alcohol vapours produced during whiskey maturation. Palaces and the Pope: the fascinating story of how Renaissance Rome was rebuilt Alyssa Rusonik, HEC Paris Business School Uncertainty over whether the seat of the papacy would remain in the city explains why Rome was a late developer when it came to palace-building, lagging behind Florence and Venice.   Brain-reading wearables will soon be ordinary. What will this mean for the new generation of ‘neurotechnological natives’? José M. Muñoz, IE University My new study poses nine vital questions for children growing up in the ‘brain-as-interface era’. Bayeux tapestry: Matilda of Flanders – the woman who was instrumental to William the Conqueror’s success Natasha R. Hodgson, Nottingham Trent University Arguably, without his wife Matilda’s financial backing, powerful family ties and queenly skills, William may never have achieved any of his lofty ambitions. The EU’s repair policies are changing the way tech is designed Christoforos Spiliotopoulos, Joint Research Centre (JRC) From phones and laptops to coffee machines and earbuds, new legislation is making it easier to fix tech products. Why it’s so hard to apologise sincerely in a foreign language Irini Mavrou, Universidad Nebrija; UCL; Lucía Martín Pérez, Universidad Nebrija Saying ‘sorry’ to someone in authority evokes more guilt and shame in your first language. Three discoveries that transformed how we understand nutrition José Miguel Soriano del Castillo, Universitat de València The tubular salivary glands, the interstitium and the mesentery are a reminder that nutrition involves the whole body. Why holding elections now may not be the best safeguard for Ukrainian democracy Derek Stanford Hutcheson, Malmö University Zelensky has so far resisted calls to hold an election. Europe needs to fight back against US software dominance – and now is the time Francesco Grillo, Bocconi University Technological dominance is won by carving out protected space in which a domestic alternative can grow. Nearly 30 years after Erasmus, university alliances are reshaping Europe’s higher education landscape but still lack visibility Isabelle Corbett-Etchevers, Grenoble IAE Graduate School of Management; Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA) Greater awareness of common EU values is needed to foster educational ties between higher education institutional systems across the continent.     You’re receiving this newsletter from The Conversation The Conversation France (assoc. 1901) 14, rue Sainte-Cécile 75009 Paris