Şeyda Kurt's Novel 'Zeit der Monster' Imagines a Weidel Chancellorship

German author Şeyda Kurt has published a new novel, 'Zeit der Monster' (Time of Monsters), which imagines a dystopian scenario where a far-right chancellor, reminiscent of AfD leader Alice Weidel, imposes punitive 300% tariffs on 'Sumpfviertel' (swamp districts). The novel is part of a broader trend of German literature addressing the threat of right-wing mobilization and authoritarianism. The book has sparked discussions in German literary circles about the appropriateness of the term 'fascism' versus 'authoritarianism', 'oligarchy', 'tech-fascism', or 'right-wing extremism'. The cultural sector is also engaging with these themes: actor Sean Penn recently won an Oscar for his portrayal of a US fascist in Paul Thomas Anderson's film 'One Battle After Another', and Thomas Pynchon's novel 'Shadow Number', set in 1932 on the eve of fascism, has been meticulously analyzed by critics. Kurt's novel contributes to this cultural conversation by exploring the potential consequences of a far-right government in Germany.