BERLIN The unconventional administration of President Trump may be causing consternation among American liberals. But here in Germany, the anchor of the European Union, Trumps rise is helping fuel an unexpected surge of the left.
What is happening in Germany is the kind of Trump bump perhaps never foreseen by his supporters a boost not for the German nationalists viewed as Trumps natural allies but for his fiercest critics in the center left. The Social Democrats (SPD) have bounced back under the charismatic Martin Schulz, the former head of the European Parliament who took over as party chairman last month and is now staging a surprisingly strong bid to unseat Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In a country that stands as a painful example of the disastrous effects of radical nationalism, Schulz is building a campaign in part around bold attacks on Trump. He has stopped well short of direct comparisons to Adolf Hitler, but Schulz recently mentioned Trump in the same speech in which he heralded his partys resistance to the Nazis in the lead-up to World War II.
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At the same time, left-wing parties in Germany have seen a jump in dues-paying members. There are also signs that Trumps election is making left-leaning voters in Germany more politically active.
Take, for instance, Kristina Seidler, a 28-year-old mother and Düsseldorf resident who works as a substantiality adviser for a textile company. She has voted for the SPD before. But the day after Trumps victory, she signed up as a dues-paying member and party volunteer.
Horrified by Trumps win, she said she sees the traditional left as the only answer and is preparing to put up posters and help with campaigning as the German election season rolls into high gear.
What kind of sign is it for the world when a man who is a racist, who treats women so badly, can become the president of the United States? Seidler said. I thought, Its time for me to do something. 
Perhaps the biggest single driver of the SPDs new popularity, however, is Schulz.
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He rose through the ranks as a champion of European unity, civil rights and social justice, becoming the parliaments president in 2012. He has at times been chided for his tell-it-like-it-is approach, drawing the wrath of the Hungarian and Polish governments after decrying democratic lapses in those countries.
Critics call Schulz similar to Trump in at least one regard: He is a straight talker who argues against elites and favors the common man. He is also blunt a trait that contrasts with Merkel, a leader famous for her meandering, parsed answers.
