Meet the charismatic 35-year-old getting Germans to vote for the far-right again

Ulrich Siegmund, a charismatic 35-year-old who gave the far-right Alternative for Germany a friendly face and combined promises of a better future with a touch of nostalgia, has led the party to its strongest showing yet.

The party surged to a resounding victory in Sunday’s regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, but fell just short of a majority as it seeks to form the first far-right state government since World War II.

Siegmund’s face was everywhere in posters for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in a campaign whose motto was “everything is possible.” At campaign events, supporters — some of them wearing T-shirts bearing his image — queued at length for a selfie and a few words with the candidate.

Although his party is known for its pro-Russian and anti-immigration positions and other radical stances, Siegmund has avoided making extreme statements and presents himself as a man of the people. But while that appeals to voters who might otherwise be put off by AfD, he is also uncompromising, insisting after the election that the party won’t........

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