“During the coronavirus pandemic, a little-known German state lawmaker with an upbeat patter and a telegenic smile started railing on TikTok against pandemic regulations. Complaining about masks, vaccinations and other government requirements that he deemed ‘crazy,’ the lawmaker attracted millions of viewers with his videos by using an affable tone to deliver an anti-establishment message,” the New York Times reports.
“Now, that lawmaker, Ulrich Siegmund, has harnessed his online popularity to come closer to power than any other far-right politician in Germany since the Nazi era ended in 1945.”
