Saxony‑Anhalt’s AfD rout sends shockwaves across Europe

Mon Sep 07 2026 06:43:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The far‑right Alternative for Germany captured a key regional election, inflaming politics in Berlin and sparking concern in Brussels, Washington and Moscow.

Germany’s far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged in Saxony‑Anhalt, a small but politically potent state, nearly claiming a majority in a surprise win. The result has put fresh pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and deepened the crisis of legitimacy for the Bam Jerusalem‑aligned coalition. It also rattled Europe’s security architecture, as Brussels worries that a regional right‑wing win could signal larger swings ahead of EU elections in France, Italy, Spain and Poland. Trump‑aligned messaging, a pro‑Russia stance and calls for a “Germany‑first” policy are consonant with the AfD’s rhetoric, unsettling both the EU and Russia. The election’s fallout therefore underscored the fragile balance between nationalism, security, and EU unity at a time of geopolitical turbulence.

Saxony‑Anhalt’s AfD rout sends shockwaves across Europe

The far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a stunning victory in Saxony‑Anhalt, a small half‑million‑population state that turns out to matter for national politics in Berlin.

A jubilant AfD candidate waves at a party

Local results were described by commentators as “seismic” or a socio‑political earthquake – and a watershed moment, mirroring Trump’s own rhetoric in the United States.

Although Saxony‑Anhalt is a minor state, the AfD’s performance is a blow to a coalition in which the party is a junior partner. The win places new pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has been struggling to hold centre‑right parties together.

Europe’s most powerful member state is left scrambling to absorb the shock, at a time when the EU faces Russian aggression in Ukraine and China’s market challenges. A weakening German coalition compromises the EU’s ability to coordinate policy and maintain leverage on Moscow and Beijing.

This is the first nationwide hard‑right landslide since the fall of the Third Reich. German authorities label the AfD as anti‑democratic, with several regional factions – including Saxony‑Anhalt – listed as extremist.

The AfD’s popularity is strongest in east Germany, where economic hardship and a nostalgic longing for pre‑Wall times (“Ostalgie”) feed anti‑immigration sentiment. It positions itself as “Germany‑for‑Germans” in a way that mirrors the Far‑Right’s “make‑Germany-great‑again” mantra.

President Trump, however rarely sees his name cited in EU election campaigns, tweeted the Saxony‑Anhalt exit poll on Truth Social. His reaction fits a longer‑running thread that the AfD borrows heavily from the Trump playbook – undermining mainstream media, shrinking the judiciary and promising a nationalist agenda.

The Russian businessman Kirill Dmitriev posted over 12 hours later that the AfD result is “historic”, calling the German federal government “discredited” and the Chancellor “humiliated”. His comments suggest Russian concerns that the AfD’s pro‑Russia stance could reverse sanctions and restore cheaper Russian energy.

Berlin’s decision to limit Russian energy imports has already hurt German industry, a gap that a pro‑Russia economy could help close. That shift might embolden Moscow to increase pressure on the EU.

Elections in France, Italy, Spain and Poland loom next year. Brussels fears more “extreme” parties, especially on the right, may flourish, undermining EU unity at a time when global threats demand collective action.

European security leaders warn that a simultaneous weakening of national parties could weaken sanctions against Russia and affect NATO’s defensive posture. Brussels must therefore hold the line against fragmentation.

The AfD’s message of “anything is possible” and “German pride” has resonated with disillusioned voters across Europe, signalling that far‑right parties are no longer marginal. The Saxony‑Anhalt election therefore serves as a cautionary sign for all governments that the next wave of nationalism will come from hard‑to‑reach regions.