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New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
New crisis center aims to expand mental health care in Lansing
A new crisis care center is opening Tuesday in Lansing, offering an alternative to hospitalization for people experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
Yankees' Trent Grisham Question Has Already Been Answered
The New York Yankees should already know what to do with Trent Grisham.
Tigers aim to clinch series vs Nationals on Tuesday night
The Detroit Tigers opened up the penultimate series of the 2026 campaign with a 9-2 victory at Comerica Park — soon to be Fifth Third Park — on Monday night. River Ryan looked good in his debut wearing the Olde English D, while home runs at the bottom of the batting order from Spencer Torkelson […]
Wall St futures pause after AI rally, focus on Mideast tensions
Wall Street's main indexes were steady on Tuesday, following strong AI-driven gains in the previous session, while investors awaited potential talks between the United States and Iran that could end their six-month-old conflict.
ECB, EU central banks oppose stablecoin bank deposit rule
Stablecoin issuers should not be required to hold a minimum proportion of their reserve assets as bank deposits because they could leave lenders exposed to changes in the stablecoin market and less sticky deposits, the ECB and other EU central banks said on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia restarts East-West oil pipeline, to resume exports from Yanbu, sources say
Saudi Arabia has restarted operations at its East-West Pipeline and could resume exports from the Red Sea port of Yanbu later on Tuesday, three sources briefed on the matter said.
Is 50 the new 60?
Subscribe TL;DR: Younger generations are showing signs of worse health compared to earlier-born cohorts at the same age This backward “drift” is showing up both in mortality risk and chronic disease Worsening trends in obesity and diabetes are the most consistent signals Taking the long view, we’ve made astonishing gains in health and life expectancy in the last century. Global average life expectancy has more than doubled from 32 years in 1900 to 73 years in 2024. (But don’t forget, there were still old people when life expectancy was 32). As people lived longer, they also generally lived healthier along the way. It turns out that avoiding things that can kill you early, like malnutrition and lots of childhood infections, also keeps you healthier later in life. In a classic 2004 paper, Finch and Crimmins proposed that cohorts of children who benefited from fewer early life infections had less lifetime exposure to inflammation and cardiovascular disease later in life, accelerating mortality improvements at older ages. Poor nutrition in the womb has also been linked to a higher risk of later chronic disease. The upshot is that improvements in childhood health can pay dividends many decades later. The combination of better living conditions (nutrition, sanitation) and medical advances (antibiotics, vaccines, blood pressure meds, etc) meant that people’s healthy lifespan generally expanded, even as they lived longer. Aging researchers call this best-case scenario “compression of morbidity”—meaning we delay the onset of disease and disability even faster than the years of life we are adding. During my 20+ year research career, we could generally bank on the idea that younger generations would not only live longer but also keep getting healthier along the way. “60 is the new 50” as they say… Enter “Generational Health Drift” Sadly, this expectation of steady progress may be changing. You’ve probably heard that US life expectancy gains have slowed to a crawl in the past couple of decades. Mortality improvements are also slowing (though less dramatically) in many other high-income countries (you can read more about that in a review paper I wrote here). Mortality is a very blunt health measure, but it is often a good barometer for the broader population health trends happening underneath. And we are now seeing that younger generations may be in worse health at similar ages compared to earlier born cohorts. My collaborator Prof. George Ploubidis at University College London coined this worsening health in more recently born cohorts “generational health drift.” “Generational health drift” is bad news on multiple fronts. Most obviously, we don’t want our health progress to go backward. But the timing is also bad, since our populations are aging. In demographic terms, “population aging” means that the proportion of the population at older ages (i.e >65 years) is increasing. Fun demography fact: Current population aging is not due to the recent declines in the birth rates making the news, but declines in fertility decades ago, after the “baby boom.” As baby boomers reach older ages, the smaller cohorts behind them mean the percentage of older adults will increase. For example, the share of the population age 65 and older in the US increased from 12.4% in 2004 to 18.0% in 2024. This story of population aging was written long ago. Many worry that population aging will put pressure on health care and pension systems. But if people reach older ages in better health than in years past, those fiscal pressures would be less dire than projected. Healthy older people can also continue to contribute to society in many valuable ways, including paid work, caregiving, community service….even high political office 🤷. On the flip side, if younger generations reach retirement age in worse health and with more disabling conditions, this could magnify the societal challenge of population aging. Evidence for worsening generational health A recent paper that I LOVED in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Leah Abrams and colleagues examined which birth cohorts (aka generations) were behind worsening US mortality. Behold the Lexis diagram (cue swooning demographers). Calendar time is on the x-axis, age on the y-axis. Birth cohorts can be followed over time as they age on the diagonal lines moving up and to the right. This figure plots the year-on-year % change in all-cause mortality at a given age. Green shading indicates mortality improvements over time, white is stagnation, and gray shading indicates worsening mortality. Following the diagonal line for those born in 1950, you can see a noticeable shift from green to gray that follows this cohort for most of their lives. This gray shading shows generally worsening mortality for the 1950 to 1959 birth cohorts compared to their predecessors across all ages. Concerningly for my GenX and elder millennial peeps, there was also a deterioration in mortality for birth cohorts born in the 1970s and 1980s, visible as dark gray areas at ages 30 to 45 during the 2010s. While some of these mortality changes reflect specific shocks such as the opioid epidemic, most deaths still occur from major causes of death such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. For cancer, the gray in the top left corner of the figure below reflects the legacies of smoking for older cohorts, followed by a period of green with improvements in cancer mortality as smoking rates declined. But the white/gray shading in the bottom right corner highlights a stagnation and reversal of the cancer trends, with cohorts born around 1970 to 1985 experiencing worsening cancer mortality. This deterioration was most noticeable for colon cancer mortality, possibly linked to obesity or dietary factors. Not just dying more, but less healthy along the way. A recent paper by Dr. Laura Gimeno of University College London (of which I am a co-author), found evidence that more recently born cohorts in Great Britain have stagnating or worsening health. A stylized picture of what“generational health drift” might look like: The review paper found: Rates of childhood overweight and obesity were highest among Gen Z. Rates of diabetes in the 40s almost doubled from 3.1% among the Baby Boomers to 5.9% in Generation X. Gen Z reported higher rates of poor mental health in adolescence compared to earlier-born groups. These UK results are consistent with studies showing worsening health across generations in the US as well. A 2021 US study found that more recently born cohorts had worse biological markers (like blood pressure and blood sugar) than earlier generations at the same age. A separate 2022 study of Americans aged 50 and over found that more recently born generations had a higher number of chronic diseases, with younger age of disease onset. A 2024 Lancet paper found that in the US, women born in 1945 had 33% obesity prevalence at age 50, rising to 48.2% for women born in 1970 turning 50. So what’s going on, and can we turn it around? We don’t have a definitive answer for what’s causing the deteriorating health of younger cohorts, but circumstantial evidence points to worsening trends in obesity and diabetes in both the US and UK. Remember that cohort trends reflect lagged effects of early environments, and younger generations have faced both earlier onset and more severe obesity across their lifetimes. Despite these very concerning trends, the future is not set in stone. We’ve reversed poor generational health trends before: drops in smoking are a major reason cancer and heart disease deaths fell so dramatically in recent decades. GLP-1 drugs may finally turn the tide against rising rates of obesity and diabetes, though it is still early days. But things could also get worse…for example from a return to higher levels of childhood infectious diseases that can have a lasting impact on health. See for example: [ ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) [ Don’t You Forget About Me(asles): The Virus That Erases Immune Memory ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Jenn Dowd, PhD · March 24, 2025 [ Read full story ](https://jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-forget-about-measles-the) Even as an optimist, emerging data on the “generational health drift” has my full attention. For most of my research career, we took it for granted that each generation would be healthier than the last. But if present trends continue, **50 could be the new 60….**and Gen Z celebrities will soon look older than Paul Rudd :). Stay well, Jenn Share the Health! If you found this post useful, please share it with a friend. Share
Global benchmarks mostly rise after Wall Street's rally
Global shares are mostly higher, as the market mood turned positive from the overnight rally on Wall Street. Benchmarks are trading higher in early Tuesday trading in France, Germany and
Political rival had called for investigation into Platte County prosecutor amid dispute
The complaint was sent to the Platte County Sheriff one day before Missouri State Highway Patrol was requested to investigate.
Newsom eyes 2028 as Democrats weigh their political future
Join The Hill’s Ian Swanson, Amie Parnes and special guest Democratic strategist Garry South, who has advised California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), for a special “Fight for 2028” centered o…
Cade Smith takes consistent, disciplined approach to mound for Guardians
Closer Cade Smith continues to take a consistent and disciplined approach to the mound for the first-place Cleveland Guardians.
Minogue calls for federal probe into $2B state contract awarded to political heavyweights
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue is calling on U.S. Attorney Leah Foley to investigate “everything around” the $2 billion state contract awarded to politically connected bidders.
Providence is poised to have a pro-Palestine mayor. Its Jewish community is conflicted.
The win by a democratic socialist aligned with the pro-Palestine movement has prompted fears, as antisemitism is on the rise and a divestment question aimed at Israel is on the ballot.
Golden Nuggets: We’re on to Arizona
Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
How lip-syncing to AI let Forced Entertainment ‘play the game of theatre’
Today we have a fascinating piece by long-time Forced Entertainment fan Ben Kulvichit, speaking to Tim Etchells about their latest show Cold Sweat, how they are integrating lip-sync and AI voices into their work, the question of ‘authenticity’ on stage, and how lip-sync has even opened the door for them to make “something a little bit like drama”. This piece is a paid partnership with the Southbank Centre, where you can see Cold Sweat next month – we’re very grateful to the Southbank Centre for their ongoing support for Exeunt. Holly Williams ‘It was immediately interesting and uncanny’ **By Ben Kulvichit** “Is the microphone on?” So goes one of the opening lines of Signal to Noise, delivered by a human performer lip-syncing to an AI-generated voice. The voice is American, cheery but sluggish, slowed down into a gelatinous drawl. It repeats ad infinitum in a farce of stuckness; an answer never materialises. I find myself asking the same question as I hop on a Google Meet call with Tim Etchells, the artistic director of Forced Entertainment. We spend five or ten minutes frowning at each other, muting and unmuting, me gesticulating in semaphore into my webcam, checking if I am coming through now, restarting the laptop. To Etchells, I appear exaggeratedly mouthing words, my voice missing. In this gloopy purgatory of broken communication, life imitates art imitates life imitates art. We try a Zoom instead. Forced Entertainment, the pioneering British theatre company who have been at the avant-garde of performance since the 1980s, turned an interesting artistic corner with Signal to Noise, created on the occasion of their 40th anniversary. The whole performance employed this lip-sync technique to AI voices; on the face of it a left-field move from a company whose identity has long been grounded in the earthy, immediate presences of its performers and its unassuming, low-tech approach to theatricality. The technique, however, turned out to provide the company with a “rich new seam” of artistic enquiry, and has now spawned a trilogy of works. The second instalment, Cold Sweat, plays at Sheffield Theatres, Southbank Centre, and Lancaster Arts in October, while the third part, Everything Must Go, has been touring in Europe and is slated to come to the UK in 2027. As is often the case with Forced Entertainment shows, the main conceit for this work didn’t arrive until quite late. They were “four or five weeks into rehearsals for Signal to Noise,” Etchells recalls, and getting nowhere. Away from rehearsals, he had been playing around with feeding “weird texts” to AI voices to see how they would cope with them – “basically for my own amusement” – and was compelled by the uniformly “serviceable, benign, good-natured” tone they would read in, no matter how poetic, fractured or experimental the writing. On a hunch, he brought some examples into rehearsals and the performers gave lip-syncing a go. “It was immediately interesting and uncanny,” he recalls, with the performers having to deal in the moment with the problem of mapping themselves onto another artificial ‘performer,’ which itself was dealing with the problem of a very human text. “Almost all the writing for these projects would be useless to us unless it was done in this way,” says Etchells. “We wouldn’t know what to do with it. It’s too poetic. It’s too fictional. It’s too tangled.” But exploring lip-syncing along to the text has opened “an enormous reservoir of ways of thinking about writing and performing.” Subscribe to Exeunt, and get two in-depth pieces on theatre a week, direct to your inbox Subscribe Forced Entertainment have long been sifting through the detritus of popular culture, from daytime TV to end-of-the-pier vaudeville, magic acts and clown shows, to find frameworks for their own unusual entertainments. Lip-syncing, then, makes sense for them to experiment with. As a mode of performance, it’s wired into popular consciousness through pop stars trying to convince stadium audiences of their liveness, or those same voices as channeled through the made-up lips of contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race, or movie dialogue spreading virally through the host bodies of TikTok users. For Etchells, lip-syncing is often about “approaching real voices and trying to take on their aura,” subsuming that original human presence into yours. “There’s a very basic, elemental sort of theatre magic to it, produced in this very easy way.” This broad approach resonates with instances of lip-syncing within contemporary performance, too. In works like Re-Member Me and Showmanism, performance artist Dickie Beau acts as a kind of spirit medium for archival recordings (this process of re-membering – as in, giving corporeal form to voices – relies on his masterfully precise actor’s technique), while Frankie Thompson is similarly possessed by a host of characters ranging from a nine-year-old Jacob Rees-Mogg to Cliff Richards, all of whom she finds compellingly nauseating, in the exorcism ritual that is her latest show, Horrible Things. What’s different about Forced Entertainment’s use of lip-syncing is that here, there is no original presence to be channeled. The performers are instead taking on what Etchells describes as “the voices of nobody,” or rather the “phantasmic, aggregated echoes” of the many many voices on whose data the AI has been trained, and which are now conjuring into existence words they never actually said. There is a sort of mournful, empty quality to these voices, having “washed up” far away from the people they originally belonged to, to find themselves in stranger’s mouths listing objects, wondering if anyone can hear them and glitching in interminable loops. There is a cold, sad anonymity to it all. Etchells remarks that occasionally the software company he used has notified him that particular people are withdrawing their voices from the platform, instructing him to cease use of those voices. Using these technologies in performance certainly brings up ethical questions around digital rights, consent, identity and ownership, although in the grand scheme of things, Etchells is fairly blasé about it: of all the purposes someone’s voice might be put to without their knowledge, “an avant-garde performance is probably the least of their worries.” [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) [ Frankie Thompson: How I manage my own ‘horrible things’ at the Edinburgh Fringe ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) Exeunt · Aug 25 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/frankie-thompson-horrible-things-essay-mental-health-compulsive-behaviours-pleasance-courtyard-soho-theatre) For the performers, though, lip-syncing to these strange, artificial voices is an odd task, requiring them to bend their live, human presence into the shapes produced by machines. Politically, it mirrors processes that are already at play in the continued computational automation of human life. Etchells brings up James Bridle’s writings on new technologies as a reference point: one example Bridle gives is of “chaotic storage”, a logistics technique employed by Amazon fulfilment centres whereby items are stored not according to traditional methods of categorisation or alphabetisation, but in a way that an algorithm determines to produce the most efficient routes for ‘picking’ based on customer purchase patterns. This appears completely random and incomprehensible to humans, with paddling pools sitting next to USB sticks sitting next to blowtorches, and so for the warehouse workers, the process of picking items becomes completely reliant on technology which tells them where to go. Our world is increasingly being designed not with humans in mind, but rather machines. As Etchells puts it, “technology malforms the space, and then you end up having to live in it.” Initially, Forced Entertainment tried their best to live in the world of machines: “I was in the it’s-got-to-be-perfect school of lip-sync,” says Etchells. But with their aesthetic being so tied to the failing act, the slipping mask, the shoddy costume, “it’s no surprise really that that didn’t last.” Instead, the performers got to enjoy being late for a line, or playing games with each other, “stealing” each other’s voices. Etchells compares it to the principles of ventriloquism, in which a free-floating voice unattached to a body is fundamentally discomforting and “sort of traumatic”. That discomfort is equally as alluring to Forced Entertainment as the satisfaction of precision, the pretence of authenticity only interesting if shown to be a pretence. Lip-sync has also opened up new avenues for the company. Having been allergic all their lives to Plays-with-a-capital-P, with Cold Sweat Forced Entertainment find themselves approaching something a little bit like drama. Rather than the presentational arena of Signal to Noise’s open white stage, Cold Sweat places us more decisively in a “fictional locale”: what appears to be “the aftermath of some disastrous party or backyard drinking binge” where three figures – family members, or neighbours, perhaps – are the last ones standing. “It’s all quite acrimonious and accusatory, everyone’s talking over each other.” For Etchells, this more fictional mode is “a door that we’ve never been able to open. We’ve just never really gone there.” Perhaps it is the technique of lip-syncing, an extra buffer of mediation, that allows them to venture away from the here-and-now without feeling that they have to commit to the “psychological claptrap” that comes along with acting; to be able to “play the game of theatre, without getting one’s hands too dirty.” As I wonder how else the impulses behind Forced Entertainment’s work have changed over time, it occurs to me that over the last ten years of new creations, with the exception of If All Else Fails, the company’s performers haven’t ever spoken on stage: there were two shows without any language at all, Out of Order and Under Bright Light, and then this trilogy of lip-sync works. Etchells agrees it’s a shift away from earlier productions, that were so often about “the actual voices of the performers and their actual presences. We had a lot of money, in some ways, on an authentic approach to what it might mean to speak on the stage.” But this sense of authentic presence itself had a fakeness to it; these days, Etchells can’t stand that mode of being onstage where performers “are here to be cheeky and witty versions of themselves. I don’t want to be charmed.” Pulling back into a more anonymous space has resulted in works that feel slightly sharper-edged, more brutal in a way. “All of these shows are post-Brexit, post-Trump, post-truth, post-everything,” Etchells notes. Speech, charisma, authenticity – these things feel politically loaded, and perhaps warmth and openness just don’t feel like the right tools to reflect the world we’re living in. “It feels like the space is closing down, and we’re trying to deal with the fact that the system, the structure that you’re in, is more oppressive and more powerful. It probably always was, but I think we’re just more tuned to it now.” Yet even without their voices, the performers’ distinctive presences – ones that many audiences have followed around for years, if not decades – still, inevitably, shine through as they physically navigate whatever unending task the system of the piece has set for them. They’re still trying to keep up with the onslaught of text, still running about, changing costumes, moving stuff around. The human is always stuck in the teeth of the machine, jamming the smooth, frictionless cheeriness of the not-real, gesticulating silently, trying desperately to communicate. Cold Sweat is at Sheffield Theatres, 2 to 3 October; Southbank Centre, London, 9 to 10 October; Lancaster Arts, 14 October [ ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) [ Exeunt recommends... the best autumn theatre ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) Exeunt · Sep 16 [ Read full story ](https://exeuntmagazine.substack.com/p/exeunt-recommends-the-best-autumn-theatre-2026-lives-of-others-standard-of-living-our-friends-in-the-north-lanny-) This piece was paid for by the Southbank Centre. Such support helps Exeunt to keep publishing the most interesting writing, about the most exciting theatre. Interested in partnering with Exeunt? Visit our Advertise with Exeunt page, where you can get more information, download an advertising pack, and find our contact details.
'One of the great unsolved mysteries of science': What general anaesthetic reveals about our brains
How general anaesthetics work is still not fully understood, but they are revealing clues about the nature of consciousness.
New Hope for Diagnosing C.T.E. in Brain Injured Patients
Scientists are developing imaging techniques and blood tests that one day may enable doctors to identify the disease definitively in living patients.
Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail to boost Abdul El-Sayed in critical Michigan Senate race
Kamala Harris is set to campaign Tuesday with Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, a joint appearance between two Democrats in a state that’s crucial to the party’s fortunes in this fall’s midterms – and the presidential primary to follow.
Insurance Coverage Lags as Cancer Science, Treatment Move Forward
“Brain cancer” or “H4 G34-mutant”? As knowledge about genetics advances, some doctors say cancers should be defined by their mutations, not the tissues where they manifest.
Insurance Coverage Lags as Cancer Science, Treatment Move Forward
“Brain cancer” or “H4 G34-mutant”? As knowledge about genetics advances, some doctors say cancers should be defined by their mutations, not the tissues where they manifest.
Tuesday ‘Dawg Bites Won’t Fumble In The Endzone
Welcome to Tuesday, Bulldog fans! We’ve entered that limbo period where certain fanbases are still basking in the glow of Saturdays victory, and others are still steaming from a frustrating loss that exposed expectations like telephone poles in winter when the kudzu dies off. Clemson has had as many lightning delays as rushing touchdowns this […]
Over McClure and into the blues
Annual Telluride festival electrifies Roaring Fork Valley music lovers
Estêvão responds to playing time concerns at Chelsea
Professional answers to leading questions
Juventus Women-Benfica | The European journey begins again
It is Juventus Women-Benfica once again.The Bianconere begin their UEFA Women’s Champions League League Phase campaign against the Portuguese side at the Allianz Stadium, facing an opponent they alr...
Lauren Book promises to 'fight like a mother' in new SD 30 ad
The former Senate Democratic Leader touts her record on gun safety, healthcare and family issues
Samsung's One UI 9 rollout may have hit a speed bump for the Galaxy S26
Samsung has pushed back the Galaxy S26 series' One UI 9 rollout date in Thailand, raising questions about the wider release.
5️⃣ stories of the day: Atleti's complaints, Mbappé's step back..
Club football is on pause to make way for the national teams, but this weekend brought so much news that Tuesday is red-hot.So we’re going to run through the five stories you can’t miss to kick of...
Jiang Feng: The Unravelling of German & European Politics
A state election in eastern Germany has become a revealing test of the changing political landscapes of Germany and Europe, writes Jiang Feng, Professor and Chairman of the Council of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS) at Shanghai International Studies University. His analysis follows the decisive victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) (which has been classified as right-wing extremist by German authorities)in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, in which it finished far ahead of its mainstream rivals. Jiang previously served as Minister-Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. The following article was published on 8 September 2026 on huanqiu.com, the online platform of the Global Times. On 6 September, the results of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, were announced. The Alternative for Germany (AfD), classified as far-right by German authorities, made history by becoming the largest party in the state parliament, winning 43.8 per cent of the vote — twice its share in the previous election. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had governed the state continuously for 24 years, won just 17.2 per cent, its worst result ever in Saxony-Anhalt. On the night the results were announced, the atmosphere at the CDU gathering was unusually calm. There was neither shock nor argument, as if the defeat had long been expected. Several veteran party members who had spent years working in the state government said: “Defeat is not a bad thing. It is time to make changes.” This state election has not only upended Saxony-Anhalt’s political landscape, but also laid bare the deep tensions between Germany’s traditional party structure and model of governance, on the one hand, and an increasingly polarised society on the other. Its repercussions are already being felt at the federal level, making Saxony-Anhalt a useful case study of the broader trend towards political polarisation and realignment in Europe. Governing Difficulties after Electoral Victory The most immediate consequence of the election is a historic setback for the mainstream party order that took shape in post-war Germany. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD has leapt from a peripheral party to the largest political force in the state. Its electoral base has expanded beyond the traditional category of “marginal protest voters” to take on the characteristics of a cross-class coalition. The party has not only consolidated its support in rural areas, but also attracted many middle-class voters and even members of the social elite with stable jobs, their own homes, and substantial incomes. It has thus evolved from a “protest party” into one with the potential to govern. Despite its commanding lead in the vote, however, the AfD faces an institutional obstacle to governing the state: the mainstream parties’ long-standing “firewall” against it. Neither of the two potential routes to forming a government appears likely to break the current political deadlock. The first would be a coalition of establishment parties, led by the CDU and bringing together the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, the Left Party (Die Linke) and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in a cross-camp government. In terms of parliamentary arithmetic, such a coalition could prevent the AfD from forming a government and preserve the outward stability of the traditional political order. Yet these parties are fundamentally divided over key issues including immigration, the energy transition, economic management, and cultural and education policy. Coalition negotiations would therefore be extremely difficult, and even if a government could be formed, it would most likely prove short-lived. More importantly, an alliance of establishment parties aimed at keeping the largest party out of government would play directly into the AfD’s narrative that “political elites are suppressing public opinion”. It could deepen perceptions of political unfairness, further strengthening the AfD’s political capital, and creating a dynamic in which “the more it is suppressed, the more people vote for it”. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate for state premier, has said that if efforts to form a government fail because other parties refuse to cooperate, the AfD will push for a fresh election, which he believes could deliver the party an absolute majority of seats. This points to more intense political battles ahead. The second option would be a coalition between the AfD and the BSW. Together, the two parties would command a simple majority in parliament, making this, on paper, the quickest route to forming a government. The BSW is the only elected party that has not ruled out cooperation with the AfD, and the two parties share some common ground, including on policy towards Russia. There is therefore a degree of political basis for cooperation. Were such a coalition to materialise, Germany would see its first state government jointly formed by a party defined as far-right and one with a far-left background, creating what might be called a “bipolar anti-establishment alliance”. Such an outcome would fundamentally break with the ideological boundaries of post-war German party politics. It is worth noting that even if the AfD ultimately fails to enter the state government, its roughly 47 per cent share of parliamentary seats would give it a powerful blocking minority. Without its consent, major decisions requiring a two-thirds majority — including constitutional amendments, significant budgetary adjustments, and state-level institutional reforms — would be extremely difficult to pass. Therefore, whoever ultimately forms the government, the AfD will be an unavoidable force in Saxony-Anhalt politics, with a direct influence on the state’s legislative process. Systemic Failures in Germany’s Governance Model The Saxony-Anhalt election result reflects a systemic failure of Germany’s post-war mainstream-party model of governance to adapt to rapidly changing socioeconomic conditions. It stems from multiple, mutually reinforcing structural tensions and highlights the existing political system’s difficulty in adapting to “an increasingly polarised society First, collective anxiety has replaced individual material hardship as a central driver of political mobilisation. The rise of the AfD can no longer be explained simply by poverty or social marginalisation. Its increasingly cross-class electoral base suggests that what is driving voters towards the party is, above all, concern about the broader direction of society. This anxiety about the future of the political community goes beyond individual gains and losses. In political discourse, economic anxiety has become closely intertwined with immigration, while immigration and refugee issues are, in essence, questions of social fairness. This perception turns conflicts over the distribution of social resources into negative assessments of governing parties, providing a broad social basis for far-right political narratives. Second, regional disparities and East German identity have undermined the strategy of addressing eastern Germany’s structural challenges at the regional level. More than three decades after German reunification, eastern states such as Saxony-Anhalt have experienced periods of economic growth, but their underlying economic structures remain weak, and household incomes and wealth remain significantly below those in western Germany. At the same time, they continue to face population outflow, an ageing population, labour shortages, and other structural challenges. At a deeper level, historical experiences — including the collapse of the former East German economic system, mass unemployment during the transition, and the westward shift of decision-making power over major issues — have left some residents with a sense of being “second-class citizens” and of being excluded. For years, the German government treated the “syndrome” of reunification as a regional problem to be gradually addressed at the local level. That approach is becoming increasingly unsustainable, as regional development disparities emerge as a core structural factor shaping national politics. Third, the erosion of institutional trust is perhaps the most decisive factor. AfD supporters tend to distrust establishment institutions, including parliament, government, and the mainstream media. Their concerns about economic security, pensions, and social fairness are significantly greater than the social average. Increasingly, their support for the AfD reflects not an expectation that the existing system can be improved, but a search for an alternative to the current political order. Such a systemic deficit of trust will be extremely difficult for the traditional parties to repair in the short term. Fourth, a generational shift in political mobilisation has amplified political polarisation. Unlike traditional parties, which rely heavily on offline rallies and mainstream media coverage, the AfD has developed a social-media mobilisation strategy built around “raising an issue — identifying who is responsible — offering a simplified solution — building a shared identity”. It turns complex social tensions into concise political narratives, rapidly channelling public sentiment into political support. The contrast on the eve of the election was particularly telling. The establishment parties, together with trade unions and churches, organised an offline march attended by more than 10,000 people, but its reach was largely confined to those present and to traditional media coverage. The AfD held a much smaller indoor event, yet livestreaming on TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms, combined with the involvement of online influencers, gave it a reach and mobilising capacity far beyond that of the march. The contrast illustrates how the traditional parties’ methods of political mobilisation are increasingly struggling to keep pace with a political environment transformed by changes in media technology. A Microcosm of Structural Political Change in Europe The shockwaves from the Saxony-Anhalt election quickly travelled beyond the state to the federal level. Calls for political accountability followed immediately after the results were announced. The governing CDU and SPD are now under enormous pressure, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil face an unprecedented test. Political polarisation in Germany is no longer simply a regional phenomenon. The post-war model of multiparty government by establishment parties is breaking down and being reshaped. Viewed in a broader European context, the Saxony-Anhalt election is part of a continent-wide wave of party polarisation, mainstream-party decline, and rising right-wing forces. Far from an isolated phenomenon, it is a microcosm of the structural political changes unfolding across Europe. Weak economic growth, cultural tensions over immigration, and declining trust in institutions are fuelling the rise of right-wing forces in several countries, challenging the liberal internationalist order established in post-war Europe. As a core member state of the European Union, Germany’s ability to adapt its political system and the direction of its politics will have profound implications for both European integration and the evolution of the international order. Subscribe [ Pekingnology China’s Germany watchers take stock of Berlin’s uneasy turn On 7 December 2025, nearly 50 Chinese scholars and policy researchers gathered in Beijing for the 2025年德国形势年终研讨会 “2025 Year-End Seminar on the Situation in Germany… Read more 9 months ago · 31 likes · 1 comment · YIRUI LI and Yuxuan JIA ](https://www.pekingnology.com/p/chinas-germany-watchers-take-stock?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web&embedding_publication_id=1151841) [ Jiang Feng on Germany's 2025 and beyond: no easy exit ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond) Yirui LI and Yuxuan JIA · Jan 24 The following is an op-ed by Jiang Feng, published on 29 December 2025 at Shanghai Observer 上观新闻, the digital platform of Jiefang Daily, the official newspaper of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). [ Read full story ](https://www.eastisread.com/p/jiang-feng-on-germanys-2025-and-beyond)
🗞️ Today’s front pages: a never-ending derby, Mourinho’s theatre
A football- and news-packed Tuesday, September 22 gets underway, with the derby fallout still fresh.So let’s take a look at how the front pages of the main sports newspapers shape up this Tuesday......
Has Arsenal's Strong Start Masked Issues Arteta Must Address?
Arsenal have won four of their opening five league games, but narrow margins and Brighton’s aggressive press have shown where there is still room to improve.
Tuesday’s Everton News: International Blues, Garner callup, Pickford on Branthwaite
Recapping all the Everton news from yesterday
Apple Music to open concert venue in Battersea Power Station
The tech giant has built its own concert hall, but says its not in competition with small venues.
Belton holds public hearing on $250 million in tax breaks for entertainment district
Belton City Council is holding a public hearing Tuesday regarding its major Uptown Development District, for the issuance of $250 million in tax breaks to fund the project over a 20-year period.
My predictions for Meta Connect 2026
Join me in guessing what will be unveiled at Meta Connect 2026, including exciting news about a new lightweight mixed-reality headset.
Five Burning Questions Surrounding Michigan Football Ahead Of Iowa Game
Michigan is 3-0 and back in the top 25 after some ups and downs and because of the rollercoaster ride, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Wolverines ahead of Big Ten play.
Connections: Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for Sept. 22, 2026, puzzle No. 729
Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
Saginaw town hall tackles voting questions ahead of midterms
A Saginaw voting rights town hall brought together state and local election officials to answer residents’ questions about how the election system works, with organizers emphasizing ballot deadlines, absentee voting
Polystyrene nanoplastics may threaten reproductive health and offspring development
Plastic pollution is increasingly being recognized as more than an environmental problem. Tiny plastic particles can enter living organisms, circulate through biological systems, and potentially reach reproductive tissues.
Alibaba plans AI model with 5 trillion to 10 trillion parameters, unveils new chip
Alibaba Group plans to train a new artificial intelligence model with between 5 trillion and 10 trillion parameters, Chief Executive Eddie Wu said on Tuesday, as the Chinese technology giant outlined a sweeping strategy encompassing AI models, chips and data centres.
Why Wasn't Travis Hunter on the Field More in Jaguars Loss to Broncos?
Travis Hunter had to watch a good portion of Jacksonville's loss to the Denver Broncos from the sideline, leading many to question why he wasn't on the field more often.
San Antonio VA plans fixes after OIG review of inpatient mental health unit issues
VA watchdog flags South Texas VA mental health unit issues: delayed bed reporting, gaps in involuntary commitment processes, and VA police video monitoring without policy or signage. Report makes 13 recommendations.
Federal Hill shooting renews questions about policing in city entertainment districts
Gunfire in Baltimore’s Federal Hill early Sunday morning left two people wounded and is renewing questions about how the city polices.
Fastly Inc. (FSLY) Jumps 15% Ahead of Tuesday’s Key Business Updates; Hedge Fund Conviction Weak
Fastly Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLY) climbed by 14.92 percent on Monday to end at $27.42 apiece as investors began positioning portfolios ahead of key business updates at its Investor Day meeting tomorrow, September 22. The rally was supported by earlier warnings from Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei that development of artificial intelligence must slow down and […]
Oil rises slightly ahead of potential US-Iran talks
Oil prices gained on Tuesday as the market steadied after several days of declines, with investors awaiting developments on potential US-Iran talks at the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Big Discoveries Start Small: Enroll for 2027–2028 at Brooklyn Preschool of Science (sponsored) | Brooklyn Bridge Parents - News, Events and Family Services
Little hands. Big questions. A lifelong love of learning. At Brooklyn Preschool of Science, children’s natural curiosity starts an extraordinary early childhood experience. We are welcoming families for the 2027–2028 school year, and we invite you to tour our school and discover a place where your child can feel loved, build confidence, make friends, and find joy
Voters cite political climate, economy and homelessness as Oregon governor race nears
With Oregon’s governor race 43 days away, voters tell KATU they’re uneasy about the political climate. Fears about inflation, Social Security, homelessness and vote-by-mail shape the debate.
Green policies just good politics, says UK minister
Transitioning to a low-carbon economy isn't just vital for the planet's future -- it's also good politics, according to Britain's climate minister, who argues the country's record-hot summer has galva...
Spurs to Unleash Questionable Trio This Season
The San Antonio Spurs have the most talented and deepest roster in the NBA, but are expected to lean into a combination of players that doesn't exactly have the best track record.
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates Series Preview
I don’t know about you, but I already miss baseball even though there are still two series to go. For the St. Louis Cardinals, those final 6 games of the 2026 campaign will be completed on the road with the first stop being in Pittsburgh starting Tuesday night. There’s little at stake other than pride, […]
State Sen. Myrie launches probe into DHS’s quest of New Yorkers' data
A probe is underway into federal surveillance practices.
Hiscox USA names a new finance chief from Liberty Mutual
The hire comes as Hiscox USA continues expanding its specialty insurance platform
Presley Gerber's death at 27 puts a spotlight on rehab safety
Presley Gerber's death while in rehab is raising questions about when a treatment facility can be held liable for an overdose death.
iOS 27.2 beta 2 reveals new details about anti-snatching feature
Apple continues to work on a feature that automatically locks an iPhone when it detects that the device has been snatched from its owner’s hand.
Could healthcare price transparency lower costs? Mike Rogers thinks so
As healthcare costs grow ever higher, Michigan GOP US Senate candidate Mike Rogers argues that better consumer awareness of how much the services they need cost will help bring prices down.
Mamdani hosts Trump at Gracie Mansion as unlikely rapport continues
The two leaders have traded insults but forged an unusually cordial personal relationship, with regular calls and texts.
Soup with Substance: Beyond the Politics of Borders, Sept. 23
Soup with Substance will feature an interdisciplinary panel discussion with Marquette faculty whose research engages with topics and questions related to immigration.
Bill Bryan, Louisiana journalist, attorney and lover of the blues, dies in Baton Rouge
Bill Bryan had a lot of roles in his 67 years, and he had a “perpetual smile.”
The SEC in a Sentence: Magnolia State Magic Edition
Welcome to the SEC in a sentence, in which we attempt to distill yet another wild and crazy weekend of SEC football into, but a single sentence for each of the leagues 16 combatants. It was another wild one, perhaps wilder that some teams (lookin’ at you, Aggieland) would have preferred. But that’s why we […]
Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request
The final mailbag of the regular season awaits.
Opinion: A historic bridge still has to be a bridge
The landmark Cortland Street Bridge has been closed to cars for a year. A civil engineer argues preservation shouldn’t come at the expense of function.
Here's why Earth, Wind and Fire chose the 21st of September
It's the 21st night of September, which begs the question: Do you remember?
City of Brooklyn Park, MN
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the third session of our Civic Engagement Education Series: Health & Well-being! We’re grateful to all of our dedicated staff, guest speakers, youth from...
Five Things I learned about UTEP this week.
This is a guest post from Tanner Castora, who was at the UTEP/Michigan game this weekend. There had never been a more important moment in the school’s history. In fact, the occasion was so grand, Disney turned it into a movie (Glory Road). In 1966, using the first all-black starting lineup in NCAA basketball history, […]
Gore announced as Tuesday starter against Mets
MacKenzie Gore will start the series opener on Tuesday against the Mets
Giants' Rookie Continues His Development
San Francisco Giants rookie Matt Wilkinson put in perhaps his best start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ask Pete Dougherty your questions about the Green Bay Packers
Pete Dougherty is taking questions as the Green Bay Packers head into a Week 3 Thursday night matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
Should we be worried about LSU’s passing game?
The Tigers fought against Ole Miss after another slow start, but Sam Leavitt and the passing attack raised questions.
Drew Lock lights up Arizona in Week 2
Drew Lock continues to shine to begin 2026 with three scores in Week 2 vs. Arizona.
DOH-Marion Issues Rabies Advisory - Florida Department of Health in Marion County
The advisory is in response to a single confirmed case of rabies in a bobcat near Rainbow Park.
Republicans gained Latino votes in 2024. Are they losing them already?
The question could decide the midterms
Private youth sports facilities face no cardiac safety requirements across Kansas City metro
While schools must have cardiac emergency plans and automated external defibrillators, private venues operate without cardiac safety mandates.
Do Coventry City 'have enough to stay up' this season?
Coventry City fan Conna Chahal believed his club "might struggle in this league" after their 5-0 defeat by Brighton on 13 September, but Saturday's hard fought 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest has changed his thinking. It had been 9,287 days since the Sky Blues last tasted victory in the Premier League, so the result had been a long time coming for the club's loyal supporters. "Do not underestimate how big that three points is for Coventry City," said Chahal, who provides analysis and reaction videos as part of BBC Sport's Fan Collective.
Kamala Harris launches into the 2026 midterms as her 2028 decision looms
As Kamala Harris mulls whether to run for president again, she’s throwing herself into the midterms by campaigning with fellow Democrats, starting with a Tuesday trip to Michigan on behalf of Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. It’s an especially notable destination for the former vice president. Michigan was one of seven battlegrounds she lost to Donald […]
UN General Assembly meeting kicks off Tuesday: What to know
President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak Tuesday
NBC 5/Telemundo 39 station group Texas voter poll
Economy and inflation are top issues according to likely voters surveyed in the NBC 5 Dallas/Telemundo Station Group Texas Voter Poll. NBC 5’s Larry Collins and Phil Prazan tell us the details.
Zelensky said Trump agrees to speak in New York for diplomatic meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans for a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump in New York. As the Ukraine-Russia war continues for more than four years, the U.S. has provided support valued at billions. Zelensky and Trump have had a strained relationship as the U.S. president balances relations with Ukraine and Russian leader Vladimir […]
Take part in Palmer Group’s 2027 salary survey
Palmer Group is seeking input from Iowa business leaders for its 2027 Annual Salary Guide, which will examine hiring plans, compensation trends and workforce priorities for the coming year. The four-question, multiple-choice survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and will be available to complete through Oct. 2. Responses will be kept confidential and…
Dem lawmakers scoff at Trump's $5K 'fantasy land' promise: 'Ain't happening'
President Donald Trump's $5,000 dividend pledge faces bipartisan pushback, with Democrats calling it a "bribe" and Republicans questioning its feasibility.
Why NuoData Believes Enterprises Need a Different Way to Connect Data, AI, and Automation — Not Another Place to Store It
NuoData’s leadership team sat down to answer six questions about the platform’s origins, its position alongside Snowflake, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric and Google Cloud, and where they believe enterprise data and AI architecture is headed next. The answers have been lightly edited for length. NuoData describes itself as an end-to-end enterprise Data, AI and Agentic orchestration […]
Tickets for Union Berlin, pre-sale starts on Tuesday!
Members on Tuesday, September 22, at 12 noon.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
Albertsons CEO Susan Morris to Keynote 13th Annual Treasure Valley Business Breakfast
The College of Idaho will host the 2026 Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debate on Tuesday, September 22, at 7 p.m. in the Langroise Center.
Kyle Whittingham sounds alarm over Michigan's turnover problem
Michigan football ranks low in turnover margin. Coach Kyle Whittingham says the team must fix its fumble issues.
Hayden Panettiere memorialized in Malibu celebration of life
Friends, family and close Hollywood colleagues honored Hayden Panettiere during a poignant celebration of life at a Malibu church this weekend, a month after the actress’s death from a possible
PHOTOS: Scenes from the 2026 Gwinnett County Fair
The Gwinnett County Fair continues this week at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds.
This Week: Phone Bank for Transit, SF Politics, Transit Tales
Here is a list of events this week. Monday/today! Phone bank with SFBike to Save Transit. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is phone banking and connecting with voters, explaining how vital it is to pass the Regional Transit Measure this November. Join them to help make sure our regional transit survives and thrives. Monday/today, September 21, 5-7 p.m. San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Office, 1720 Market Street, S.F. Tuesday Historic Photo Exhibit Tour. Moving San Francisco is a collaboration between the SFMTA and San Francisco Arts Commission and is on view at City Hall through November 25. During this informal tour, they will take an in-depth look at selected photos from San Francisco transit history and learn more about the stories and people behind them. Tuesday, September 22, 5-7:45 p.m. North Light Court inside City Hall, One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, S.F. Tuesday San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Board Meeting. SF Bicycle Coalition members are invited to attend all board meetings. Tuesday, September 22, 6-8 p.m. Register for Zoom link. Tuesday SF Politics 101 with Joel Engardio. SF Politics 101 is a look at how local politics work and the history that shaped San Francisco—brought to life with visuals and narrative storytelling. Tuesday, September 22, 6-7:15 p.m. SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F. Register to attend. Wednesday Transit Tales: A Storytelling Night. Join SPUR and Muni Diaries at Local Economy for an evening of true stories inspired by riding transit. From unexpected encounters and meet-cutes to funny mishaps and heartfelt moments, Transit Tales celebrates the experiences that make public transportation unforgettable. Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m. Local Economy, 6028 College Ave, Oakland. Saturday Group Ride: Richmond BART to Point Pinole. Join Bike East Bay for a family-friendly, no-drop group ride to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline. Saturday, September 26, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts at Richmond BART Plaza, 1600 Nevin Plaza, Richmond. Saturday Shipwreck Cove Opening. Come see Sunset Dunes’s newest playground. Saturday, September 26, 3 p.m., Sunset Dunes and Kirkham, S.F. Saturday 55 Wine Line Progressive. Ride between Horsies Market & Saloon, Bar Part Time and Ruby Wine on the 55 Dogpatch bus. Saturday, September 26. Three locations in Dogpatch. See SFMTA site for more details on locations and times. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.
MN Twins Calling Up Another First Round Pick
The Minnesota Twins are promoting former first round pick Aaron Sabato to the big leagues for his major league debut.
ESPN Questions if Steelers Should Bench Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers struggled in the Steelers' loss to the Patriots, prompting ESPN to consider whether Pittsburgh should make a change at quarterback.
Presley Gerber Shared Mental Health, Addiction Struggles Before Death: ‘I’ve Had a Lot of Time to Look Into Myself’
The son of model Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, who has died at 27, said dealing with mental health issues was a “24/7 job.”
Hideo Kojima doesn't know if Physint will be released on PS5, and he hasn't decided if it's going to use Sony's Decima game engine
Sony's sudden decision to drop Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear successor Physint has raised many questions about the game's future.
Women's FA Cup Third Round Qualifying opponents revealed
The draw for the Third Round Qualifying of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup has been made, with Leeds United drawn to face Stockton Town Ladies at the Map Group UK Stadium.Our Durham County FA Leagues oppos...
Fan Forum to take place at Elland Road
Leeds United are pleased to announce a fan forum will be held at Elland Road on Tuesday 29th September in the Gary Speed Suite, within the Jack Charlton East Stand from 6:30pm until 8:30pm.The event w...
Are draws the elephant in the room for Blues?
Fan writer Kym Smith reflects on a fifth draw of the season for Birmingham City against Middlesbrough.