“I think the shift to the right which we experience not only in Germany but also in many other countries of the world is, beside wars and the climate crisis, one of the main issues of our time.” – Rafael Heygster
Germany’s nationalist political party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), made major gains in 2024, doubling its support to achieve 20.8% of the vote in the 2025 national elections. This comes at a time when populist parties are gaining ground across Europe, in countries such as France, Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Italy.
‘Democracy Dies in Darkness’ by Rafael Heygster (@rafahey ), @spiegelmagazin , was awarded in the Stories category for the Europe region of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest.
Rafael Heygster is a freelance photojournalist from Germany. In his work, he focuses on the relation between individuals and their social, cultural and political environment.
🔗 See his winning project through the link in the bio, currently on display at the Flagship World Press Photo Exhibition 2025 at @denieuwekerk in Amsterdam, part of the global exhibition tour.
Video: @jan.kohler
For @spiegelmagazin I visited Hannover Messe to photograph the Agile Robots booth.
It was interesting to see humanoid robots up close.
What I found somewhat amusing: we arrived at 9:00 and waited until 13:30 for a live robot demonstration. It was announced on a large scale, with music, a countdown, and a moderator. Then, after just a few seconds, the robot simply fell over, rather unspectacularly.
Another thing that stood out: many people working at the fair seemed to move and interact in similarly repetitive ways like robots: shaking hands, repeating the same lines, following familiar routines.
Text by Christoph Scheuermann
Thanks for the assignment, @tinkadietz
Alec Soth once said photography is a good dance partner for the lonely ones. While I acknowledge that as might be true, photography is also a way to connect.
1. Gerhard, former German chancellor, caught under colorful lights.
2. Prof. Thum, one of those moments that makes you wonder what he’s thinking.
3. Julia Draganovic, director of Villa Massimo, standing against a purple backdrop.
4. Holger Stahlknecht, former minister of interior, mid-expression.
